If you have a parent who has dealt with kidney stones one or more times, it's important for you to be mindful of this condition. Kidney stones can be hereditary, which means that you may be at a heightened risk of this issue if one of your parents had it. You'll want to get acquainted with the common symptoms of this condition so that if a symptom develops, you can act promptly. Should you develop a symptom, you'll want to contact a local urology center to set up an appointment. Here are three common symptoms that can often suggest kidney stones are present.

Lower Back Pain

A common indicator that you could have kidney stones is the onset of lower back pain. Of course, lower back pain can occur as a result of a wide range of other issues, so it's important to consider what other factors may be at play. For example, if you've developed lower back pain after helping a friend move, there's a good chance that you strained a muscle in this part of your body while you lifted something heavy. If you can't think of another reason that you might have lower back pain and this pain is unusual to you, it could be a sign to contact a urology clinic to learn more about kidney stones.

Blood In Your Urine

It's also common to have some blood in your urine when you have kidney stones. You shouldn't automatically assume that your urine will appear bright red, however. In general, the urine may have a slight pink hue to it. It's important to take note of the color of your urine, especially if you've noticed a symptom such as back pain that could suggest that you're dealing with kidney stones.

Need To Urinate

Kidney stones can also cause you to experience a frequent need to urinate. When you visit the bathroom, the results can be inconsistent. In some cases, you may struggle to urinate, perhaps feeling as though you can't fully empty your bladder. In other scenarios, you may feel as though you've urinated fully but develop another urge to go to the bathroom just a short period of time later. If you have one or more of these symptoms, you shouldn't sit idly and let the situation worsen. Contact a urology clinic in your community, explain what you're facing, and set an appointment to see a urologist.