A kidney stone that does not hurt can seem like good news. After all, severe pain is one of the symptoms most people associate with kidney stones. But a painless kidney stone is not automatically harmless. Some stones can remain in the kidney without causing symptoms, while others can move, block urine flow or become associated with infection. The risk depends on factors such as the stone's size, location, growth and whether it causes obstruction. Current urology guidance supports monitoring some small, asymptomatic kidney stones, but recommends treatment when complications such as growth, obstruction or infection develop.
