<P> Between 1% and 15% of people globally are affected by kidney stones at some point in their life . In 2015, 22.1 million cases occurred, resulting in about 16,100 deaths . They have become more common in the Western world since the 1970s . Generally, more men are affected than women . Kidney stones have affected humans throughout history with descriptions of surgery to remove them dating from as early as 600 BC . </P> <P> The hallmark of a stone that obstructs the ureter or renal pelvis is excruciating, intermittent pain that radiates from the flank to the groin or to the inner thigh . This pain, known as renal colic, is often described as one of the strongest pain sensations known . Renal colic caused by kidney stones is commonly accompanied by urinary urgency, restlessness, hematuria, sweating, nausea, and vomiting . It typically comes in waves lasting 20 to 60 minutes caused by peristaltic contractions of the ureter as it attempts to expel the stone . </P> <P> The embryological link between the urinary tract, the genital system, and the gastrointestinal tract is the basis of the radiation of pain to the gonads, as well as the nausea and vomiting that are also common in urolithiasis . Postrenal azotemia and hydronephrosis can be observed following the obstruction of urine flow through one or both ureters . </P> <P> Pain in the lower - left quadrant can sometimes be confused with diverticulitis because the sigmoid colon overlaps the ureter, and the exact location of the pain may be difficult to isolate due to the close proximity of these two structures . </P>

Medical term meaning condition of stones in the ureters