Kidney Stones Treatment

Kidney stones are deposits of salts and minerals that form in the kidneys for numerous reasons. Passing them can be incredibly uncomfortable and painful. Luckily, there are several treatment options available that can help pass or remove them in a timely manner.

CAUSES

There is no singular cause of kidney stones. However, certain people have a higher risk of developing stones if they exercise too much (or too little), they do not drink enough water, or their diet contains too much fructose, salt, or sugar. Some people may also be more prone to kidney stones if their family has a history of getting them.

SYMPTOMS

When a kidney stone forms, it will likely not cause symptoms until it moves in the kidney or passes to the ureters, the tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder. When a kidney stone lodges in the ureters, it may block the flow of urine and cause the kidneys to swell and the ureter to spam. This can cause the following symptoms:

  • Cloudy pink, red, or brown urine with a foul smell

  • Fever and chills if the patient has an infection

  • Nausea and vomiting

  • Pain that fluctuates in intensity

  • Painful urination

  • Persistent urge to urinate

  • Sharp pain the side and back below the ribs

The symptoms above also depend on the size of the kidney stone. Some kidney stones are as small as grains of sand and can pass without much discomfort. Others can be larger, such as the size of a pebble or up to the size of a golf ball. The larger the kidney stone, the more noticeable the symptoms.

TREATMENTS

When a patient begins to experience kidney stone symptoms, they should receive a proper diagnosis and treatment from their primary care provider or a urologist. The doctor will likely do a blood and urine test and a CT or ultrasound scan that can show kidney stones in the urinary tract. The medical professional may also do a lab analysis of a previously passed stone to find the cause and plan to prevent future stones.

After the diagnosis of kidney stones, a urologist will recommend the best course of treatment. Smaller stones do not often require invasive treatment. Drinking water, over-the-counter pain medication, and an alpha blocker, also known as a muscle relaxer, can help pass stones without much discomfort.

However, larger stones and the ones that cause uncomfortable and painful symptoms may require more extensive and invasive treatment. These treatments may include using sound waves called extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), which breaks stones into tiny pieces that can pass in the patient’s urine. If the less invasive procedures are ineffective, surgery is also an option.