As kidney stones grow larger and obstruct the flow of urine, the kidney stones can become quite painful. Symptoms often include:

• Blood in the urine 
• Feeling a need to urinate often, but sometimes being unable to
• Urine that is cloudy or smelly, chills or fever

The good news is that most kidney stones do not require invasive treatment. Courses of care include:

• Increasing hydration (as much as 2-3 quarts of water daily) and taking an over-the-counter pain reliever until the stone passes
• Shock-wave lithotripsy, which causes the stones to disintegrate
• Minimally invasive procedures such as ureterscopy or percutaneous surgery