Ureteral Stents: Managing the Pain, Removal, and What to Expect

Lead with the truth competitors soften: a large share of patients feel the stent. The most common complaints are a dull ache or pressure in the flank or bladder, a strong and frequent urge to urinate, burning when you go, blood-tinged urine, and a pulling sensation in the groin or genitals near the end of urinating. Pain that flares specifically when you pee or right after is classic and expected.

Why it hurts: a ureteral stent has a curl (a 'J') at each end so it cannot slip out, with one loop sitting in the kidney and one in the bladder. When the bladder squeezes to empty, urine can travel backward up the stent toward the kidney and the bladder loop rubs the sensitive bladder wall. That mechanical irritation, not an infection, drives most stent symptoms.

Set realistic expectations: discomfort is usually worst in the first day or two and after physical activity, and it typically eases as your body adjusts. The single most reassuring fact is that nearly all stent symptoms disappear quickly once the stent is removed. If your symptoms are severe, escalating, or come with fever, that is a different situation covered in the red-flag section below.

Ask your urologist about these commonly used measures. Anti-inflammatory pain relievers (NSAIDs such as ibuprofen) often work better for stent pain than narcotics because the discomfort is partly bladder-spasm and inflammation driven; confirm they are safe for your kidneys first. Doctors frequently prescribe tamsulosin (Flomax), an alpha-blocker used off-label, which several studies suggest can reduce stent-related discomfort and urgency. Bladder-calming (anticholinergic) medicines and a short course of a urinary anesthetic that turns urine orange may also be offered for burning.

Hydration helps dilute the urine so it stings less, but spread fluids through the day rather than gulping large volumes at once, which can worsen the urge. Many patients find symptoms spike right when they urinate, so urinating without straining, and not rushing, reduces backflow up the stent.

For sleep, a top related search, patients often do best lying on the side opposite the stent or on their back, getting up calmly for expected nighttime bathroom trips, and timing a doctor-approved dose of pain medicine before bed. Limiting caffeine and alcohol in the evening reduces bladder irritation. If pain is keeping you awake every night despite these steps, tell your urologist, because the plan can be adjusted.

Stents are meant to be temporary. Many are removed within a few days to about two weeks after a stone procedure, though some stay six weeks or occasionally longer when healing or a planned next surgery requires it. Your urologist sets the date based on why it was placed. A stent should never be forgotten and left indefinitely, because over months it can crust, harden, or become a source of infection, which is why practices track removal dates carefully.

Removal is quick and is not a major operation. If a thin string was left attached, the stent can sometimes be removed at home or in the office by gently pulling the string in seconds. If there is no string, removal is done in the office with a small flexible scope (cystoscope) passed through the urethra; numbing jelly is used, the pull lasts only a moment, and most people describe a brief sharp or odd sensation rather than lasting pain.

It is normal to have a little blood, burning, or urgency for a day or two after removal as the ureter and bladder settle. For the full removal experience, including string-versus-scope details, how much it hurts, and what to ask, see our companion guide on kidney stone stent removal.

Placement is not major surgery. A stent is usually inserted during a short outpatient procedure, often at the same time a stone is treated, using a scope passed up through the urethra and bladder; there are no external cuts. It typically takes around 30 minutes, is done under sedation or general anesthesia, and most people go home the same day.

Dos and don'ts while the stent is in: stay well hydrated, keep up gentle walking, and resume light routine activity as tolerated. Avoid heavy lifting, hard straining, and vigorous or high-impact exercise, which can worsen pain, bleeding, and the chance the stent shifts. Ask your urologist about timing for returning to work, driving, and sexual activity, and about caution around new partners since irritated urinary tissue can be more prone to infection. Do not pull on a stent string yourself unless your urologist specifically instructs you to.

Mild blood-tinging in the urine that comes and goes with activity is expected and is not the same as heavy bleeding or passing large clots, which is a reason to call.

A stent is most often placed for one of three reasons: to drain a kidney blocked by a stone, swelling, or narrowing; to let the ureter heal and stay open after a stone is broken up or removed; or to relieve obstruction from outside pressure such as a tumor. After lithotripsy (shock-wave treatment) or ureteroscopy, a stent is frequently used because the ureter can swell from the work done and a stent keeps urine flowing and reduces the risk of a painful post-procedure blockage. It is not always required, so ask your urologist whether your case truly needs one.

The main alternative to an internal stent is a nephrostomy tube, a drain placed through the skin of the back directly into the kidney that empties into an external bag. A stent stays entirely inside the body with nothing to manage externally; a nephrostomy tube is often chosen when a kidney is badly infected and needs the most reliable drainage, when a stent cannot be passed, or when the patient is too unstable for a scope procedure. In some situations a urologist may use both. A third path is no drainage at all when a small stone is expected to pass on its own.

There is no single right answer; the choice depends on your anatomy, whether infection is present, and how urgent drainage is. This is exactly the kind of trade-off worth discussing directly with a urologist rather than defaulting to one option.