As the stone moves closer to the bladder, a patient will often feel the pain radiating along the inner thigh. In women, the pain may be felt in the vulva. In men, the pain may be felt in the testicles. Nausea, vomiting, extremely frequent and painful urination, and obvious blood in the urine are common. Diagnosis Diagnosing kidney stones is based on the patient's history of the very severe, distinctive pain associated with the stones.
Diagnosis includes laboratory examination of a urine sample and an x-ray examination.
During the passage of a stone, examination of the urine almost always reveals blood. A number of x-ray tests are used to diagnose kidney stones. A plain x ray of the kidneys, ureters, and bladder may or may not reveal the stone. A series of x rays taken after injecting iodine dye into a vein is usually a more reliable way of seeing a stone. In the case of an obstruction, the dye will be stopped by the stone or will only be able to get past the stone at a slow trickle.