Are kidney stones serious?

If a stone is lodged tightly in your ureter, you could develop high blood pressure or renal injury if it is neglected for months or years. 

It's a hard question to answer. Kidney stones are not as serious as cancer, but in a particular situation they can actually result in a patient's death. The seriousness of kidney stones depends on their location. For instance, someone could have a kidney stone that blocks a urinary tract infection, so bacteria can't get out. If you don't do anything about it, a patient could get fairly sick and even septic or sometimes even pass away. Those patients are considered emergencies and need intervention, but it’s typically not an emergency if a patient has a little stone or stones that are not blocking anything.
 
Trinity Health is a Catholic health care organization that acts in accordance with the Catholic tradition and does not condone or support all practices covered in this site. In case of emergency call 911. This site is educational and not a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider.