Overview
A kidney stone is a solid piece of material that forms in a kidney. Kidney stones may be the size of sand or gravel, as large as a pearl, or even larger. A stone can block the flow of urine and cause great pain.
Review Date 9/2/2024
Updated by: Kelly L. Stratton, MD, FACS, Associate Professor, Department of Urology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.