As Michael McIntyre cancels a gig due to kidney stones, what are the symptoms and how is it treated?

Comedian Michael McIntyre has cancelled a second gig after undergoing a medical procedure for kidney stones.

Posting on social media, his account on X said: "Unfortunately, Michael has had an operation to remove kidney stones. The show will be rescheduled to a later date which will be announced shortly. Tickets will remain valid for the new date. If you are unable to make the new date you will be entitled to a refund."

It comes amid McIntyre's ongoing world tour, Magnificent, having already been to the likes of Australia, Europe and the USA.

Kidney stones are hard deposits of salts and minerals that form inside your kidneys, and usually pass in your urine. They can be caused by a high-protein diet, inactivity and are even hereditary - meaning they can run in the family.

What types of kidney stones are there?

According to the NHS, there are three types of kidney stones that can develop:

• Calcium stones, the most common type of stone
• Struvite stones, usually caused by an infection, like a urine infection
• Uric acid stones, usually caused by a large amount of acid in your urine

What are the symptoms?

If your kidney stones are small enough, you may not even have any symptoms, and won't notice they are even there - even when you pee them out. But larger kidney stones can cause a variety of symptoms.

The most typical symptom is a pain in the side of your abdomen, and men may suffer from genital pain. People may experience a high temperature, sweating and vomiting.

Blood in your urine - or a urine infection - is also a symptom of kidney stones.

How are kidney stones treated?

Small kidney stones usually pass in urine within a couple of days. However, if the pain is more severe and lasts longer, your GP may prescribe a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug to help you out.

Drinking plenty of fluid - especially water - will help to pass kidney stones, and fizzy drinks should be avoided. For larger stones, you may need to go into hospital for surgery.

But this does come with a risk of complications, ranging from urinary tract infection (UTI) to sepsis.