ER or urgent care?

Kidney stone: when to go to the ER

Q: When should I go to the ER for a kidney stone?

Go if the pain is unbearable, if you have fever and chills or can’t keep fluids down, or if you can’t urinate.

Q: Can a kidney stone pass on its own?

Many can: about 80% of kidney stones pass on their own. Larger or blocking stones may need treatment.

Q: Can urgent care help with a kidney stone?

Diagnosis usually needs imaging and lab tests, which vary by clinic. For severe pain, go to the ER; for milder pain, contact your provider.

A kidney stone’s main symptom is severe pain that starts and stops suddenly, in the belly or the side of the back, sometimes moving toward the groin ¹. Many small stones pass on their own ¹, but if the pain is unbearable, go to the emergency department ².

Find urgent care near you Or find the nearest ER. Updated November 15, 2026; every fact links to its source below.

Photo of a person holding their lower back and side at a kitchen table

Go to the ER or call 911 if

Pain you can’t bear ²
Severe pain with fever and chills, or with vomiting that keeps you from holding down fluids
You can’t urinate, or only a little ³
Severe pain with chest pain, trouble breathing, or fainting

Some people with severe kidney stone pain need a hospital stay and IV fluids ¹. Larger stones, or stones that block the urinary tract, may need urgent treatment ⁴.

If you’re not sure, go to the ER. Find the nearest ER.

When urgent care can help

We didn’t find a neutral source on what urgent care can do for kidney stones. Diagnosing a stone usually takes imaging plus blood and urine tests ², which not every clinic has, and severe pain may need IV fluids ¹. For pain you can manage, contact your provider; for severe pain, go to the ER.

Find urgent care near you, with hours and phone numbers. Not sure what it costs? See ER vs urgent care cost.

Contact a provider if

You have severe back or side pain that won’t go away ¹
You see blood in your urine, or it’s cloudy or smells bad ¹
It burns when you urinate ¹

What usually happens

Around 80% of kidney stones pass on their own ². You may be asked to drink plenty of water and strain your urine so the stone can be tested ¹. Being pain-free doesn’t prove the stone has passed ¹, so follow up as advised.

Common questions

Kidney stone: when to go to the ER, answered.

General information, not medical advice or a diagnosis.

When should I go to the ER for a kidney stone?

Go if the pain is unbearable ², if you have fever and chills or can’t keep fluids down, or if you can’t urinate ¹ ³.

Can a kidney stone pass on its own?

Many can: about 80% of kidney stones pass on their own ². Larger or blocking stones may need treatment ⁴.

Can urgent care help with a kidney stone?

Diagnosis usually needs imaging and lab tests ², which vary by clinic. For severe pain, go to the ER; for milder pain, contact your provider.

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Sources

Last updated November 15, 2026. General information from the sources above, not medical advice or a diagnosis, and not a substitute for being seen. If you’re not sure whether something is an emergency, go to the ER or call 911.

This is not for emergencies.

For life-threatening symptoms, severe chest pain, trouble breathing, or immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.