Small kidney stones generally don't block your kidney or cause other problems. But if you have a large kidney stone and experience severe pain or kidney problems, seek immediate medical care with a urologist.

What you can do

1 • Write down your symptoms, including any that seem unrelated to kidney stones.

2 • Make a list of all your medications, as well as any vitamins or other supplements that you take.

3 • Take a family member or friend along, if possible. Sometimes it can be hard to remember all the information, and a relative or friend may hear something that you missed or forgot.

4 • Write down questions to ask your doctor.

For kidney stones, some basic questions include:

• Do I have a kidney stone?
• What size is my kidney stone?
• Where is my kidney stone located?
• What type of kidney stone do I have?
• Will I need medication to treat my kidney stone?
• Will I need surgery or another procedure to treat my kidney stone?
• What's the chance that I'll develop another kidney stone?
• How can I prevent kidney stones in the future?
• I have these other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?
• Do I need to follow any restrictions?
• Do you have any educational material that I can take with me? What websites do you recommend?
• Do I need a follow-up visit?

Don't hesitate to ask questions during your appointment when you don't understand something.