What complications may result from kidney stones?
If a stone is large enough and moves into a position to block the flow of urine from the kidney or in the ureter, it can cause a serious situation beyond the pain that is immediately felt. The back-up of pressure from blocked urine can slowly cause kidney damage. Bleeding and infection are serious possibilities. The possibility that a blockage has occurred and the flow of urine is being blocked represents a serious emergency that needs to be dealt with immediately. Emergency situations include severe unrelenting pain, severe unrelenting nausea and fevers over 101. Total blockage of urine can occur rarely in patients with only one kidney or, less frequently, in patients with obstructing stones in both kidneys.
