Gallstones and kidney stones sound similar, and both can cause intense pain, but they are actually very different in where they form, what they’re made of, and how they’re treated. Many people confuse the two, which is understandable—but knowing the difference can help you understand your body better and seek the right care if you ever experience symptoms.
Gallstones form in the gallbladder, a small organ under your liver that stores bile. Bile is a fluid that helps your body digest fat. Sometimes, substances in bile—like cholesterol or bilirubin—harden into small stones.
These stones can be as tiny as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. Research from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) shows that gallstones are more common in women, especially those over 40, people who are overweight, and people who eat high-fat diets.
Kidney stones, on the other hand, form in the kidneys, which are part of your urinary system. They develop when certain minerals in the urine—like calcium, oxalate, or uric acid—become too concentrated and form crystals. These crystals grow into hard stones, which can move into the ureters (the tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder) and cause severe pain.
According to research published in The New England Journal of Medicine, kidney stones are more common in men, though the rate is increasing among women too. Dehydration, diets high in salt or animal protein, and family history all raise the risk.
One of the main differences between the two is how the pain feels and where it’s located. Gallstone pain usually appears in the upper right part of the abdomen, often after eating a fatty meal. It can last from a few minutes to several hours and may spread to the right shoulder or back. This is often called a gallbladder attack or biliary colic.
In contrast, kidney stone pain—sometimes called renal colic—usually starts in the lower back or side and can move to the groin or lower abdomen as the stone travels. It’s often described as one of the worst pains a person can feel, and it tends to come in waves.
Another difference is how they are diagnosed and treated. Gallstones are often found during an ultrasound of the abdomen. If they cause frequent pain or complications like inflammation or infection, the usual treatment is surgery to remove the gallbladder.
People can live normally without a gallbladder. Kidney stones are diagnosed with imaging like CT scans or X-rays and urine tests. Treatment depends on the size of the stone. Small stones can often pass on their own with plenty of water and pain relief. Larger stones may need shock wave therapy to break them up, or in some cases, surgery.
While gallstones and kidney stones are both preventable to some extent, the strategies are different. For gallstones, maintaining a healthy weight, eating a low-fat diet, and avoiding rapid weight loss can help.
For kidney stones, drinking plenty of water is key—at least 2–3 liters a day—along with limiting salt and foods high in oxalates (like spinach, beets, and nuts) if you are prone to calcium stones.
In summary, gallstones and kidney stones are not the same thing, even though they are both types of “stones” that can cause pain and require medical attention.
Knowing where they form, how they feel, and what causes them can help you spot the signs early and take steps to prevent them. If you ever experience sudden abdominal or back pain, don’t try to guess—see a doctor to find out what’s really going on.
If you care about kidney health, please read studies about how to protect your kidneys from diabetes, and drinking coffee could help reduce risk of kidney injury.
For more information about kidney health, please see recent studies about foods that may prevent recurrence of kidney stones, and eating nuts linked to lower risk of chronic kidney disease and death.
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