From the newsletter:
Renal colic typically presents as a sudden onset of acute, intermittent colicky flank pain (on the side of the body, between last rib and hip) that may radiate towards the lower abdomen or groin. It is often associated with nausea and vomiting. It has an annual incidence of approximately 16 in 10,000 people and a lifetime incidence of 2-5%.
Renal colic, along with haematuria, is a classic symptom of urolithiasis, which should be considered as a differential diagnosis. However there are other conditions that have symptoms that could mimic renal colic due to urolithiasis. One example is bleeding within the kidney that can produce clots, which lodge temporarily in the ureter. Another is ectopic pregnancy, but this can usually be clarified by ultrasound imaging. Patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm could also have symptoms that resemble renal colic due to urolithiasis. Patients with acute intestinal obstruction may also present with pain resembling renal colic, but unlike with urolithiasis it is not in association with haematuria. Besides that, individuals seeking attention or narcotics may pretend to have renal colic. Overall, however, misdiagnosis is actually very rare.
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