Kidney stones are common and often very painful, but many people recover without needing surgery.
What is going to happen
The symptoms that brought you to hospital might be caused by a ureteric stone. This is a stone in the pipe that drains urine from the kidney to the bladder.
- It is safe for you to go home for now.
- You need to come back for a scan to check if you do have a stone.

CT scan
- You will have a CT scan to check for stones.
- You are invited to come to Seacroft Hospital for a CT scan within the next 72 hours between 08:15 to 15:30 (Monday to Saturday). Please note that there may be a wait on the day as the Radiology team will see you in alongside pre-planned patients.
- When you have your CT scan you will be asked to lie on a bed and then you will pass through a polo mint shaped machine to get pictures. You will not feel anything.
Important: Action Required
Please attend Seacroft hospital between 08:15 to 15:30 (Monday to Saturday) in the next 3 days for your scan.
If you do not attend in the timeframe, your scan will be cancelled.
After your scan

- After your scan you can go home.
- A doctor will call you to speak to you about what the scan shows within two working days.
- Please answer calls from the telephone numbers: 0113 392 9999 or 0113 206 9999.
What do you need to know
Pain

- We recommend that you take regular Paracetamol and Ibuprofen.
- You can get these at pharmacies, supermarkets and convenience stores.
- We will also give you pain killers to go home with.
- The doctor who sees you will explain how to use these.
Emergencies

If you start having the below symptoms when you are at home, please come to the Surgical Admissions Unit at St James’s University Hospital to be checked by a clinician:
- High temperature (over 38 degrees).
- You feel very hot and have shaking that you can’t stop.
- Very bad pain which does not go away with the pain killers we give you.
- You stop passing urine.
What might happen
- Some stones don’t need treatment and come out on their own.
- Some stones might need help or treatment to come out.
- The doctor that calls you will explain what they think is likely to happen with your stone.
- Information on the two most common treatments can be found below. You may want to look at this if your doctor talks to you about this treatment.