Treatment FAQ

how to treatment kidney stone

by Dr. Bret Bednar Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Treatment
  1. Drinking water. Drinking as much as 2 to 3 quarts (1.8 to 3.6 liters) a day will keep your urine dilute and may prevent stones from forming. ...
  2. Pain relievers. Passing a small stone can cause some discomfort. ...
  3. Medical therapy. Your doctor may give you a medication to help pass your kidney stone.

Medication

Try herbal remedies.

  • Birch leaf tea, which is said to help remove waste products from the urinary system.
  • Black tea, which increases urine flow since it is a diuretic.
  • Nettle leaf, which is also a diuretic and can help flush the kidney stones from your system.
  • Dandelion root, which is said is to be an effective kidney tonic.

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Procedures

Procedures may include:

  • Using sound waves to break up stones. For certain kidney stones — depending on size and location — your doctor may recommend a procedure called extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). ...
  • Surgery to remove very large stones in the kidney. ...
  • Using a scope to remove stones. ...
  • Parathyroid gland surgery. ...

Nutrition

You might have a procedure or surgery to take out kidney stones if:

  • The stone is very large and can't pass on its own.
  • You're in a lot of pain.
  • The stone is blocking the flow of urine out of your kidney.
  • You have had many urinary tract infections because of the stone.

How do you break down kidney stones naturally?

  • Calcium stones: these are the most common type of stones, and are caused by a high level of calcium combined with another substance, such as oxalate or uric acid. ...
  • Uric acid stones: these form when the urine contains too much acid. ...
  • Struvite stones: these can form after a urinary tract infection. ...

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What is the best treatment for kidney stones?

When do I need surgery for a kidney stone?

How do doctors break up a kidney stone?

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What is the best treatment for kidney stones?

Percutaneous Lithotripsy (PCNL) is the best treatment for large stones in the kidney. General anesthesia is needed to do a PCNL.

What is the fastest way to dissolve a kidney stone?

Apple cider vinegar as kidney stones remedy If you're looking to dissolve kidney stones fast, you can rely on apple cider vinegar. Made from fermenting apples and endowed with phosphoric, citric and acetic acids, apple cider vinegar makes urine acidic and helps to dissolve most types of kidney stones quickly.

Can you treat kidney stones without surgery?

Most kidney stones can be treated without surgery. Ninety per cent of stones pass by themselves within three to six weeks. In this situation, the only treatment required is pain relief. However, pain can be so severe that hospital admission and very strong pain-relieving medication may be needed.

Can kidney stones be cured by medicine?

Uric acid stones are the only type of kidney stones that can sometimes be dissolved with the help of medication. Alkaline citrate salts or sodium bicarbonate are considered for this purpose, and sometimes allopurinol.

Can a 7mm kidney stone dissolve?

Between 4 mm and 6 mm, only 60 percent will pass without medical intervention, and on average take 45 days to exit your body naturally. Anything bigger than 6 mm will almost always need medical care to help remove the stone.

What foods cause kidney stones?

Avoid stone-forming foods: Beets, chocolate, spinach, rhubarb, tea, and most nuts are rich in oxalate, which can contribute to kidney stones. If you suffer from stones, your doctor may advise you to avoid these foods or to consume them in smaller amounts.

Which food is good for kidney?

The Best Foods for Kidney HealthDark leafy greens. Dark leafy green vegetables such as kale, spinach, chard, and collard greens are loaded with vitamins A and C, calcium, and many other important minerals. ... Berries. ... Cranberries. ... Sweet potatoes. ... Olive oil. ... Fatty fish. ... Cabbage.

Can a 13 mm kidney stone pass?

Kidney stones that are less than 5 millimeters (mm) in size will commonly pass with medical management. Stones that are greater than 10 mm will usually require surgery. Those in between are managed medically first and then surgically if they do not pass.

How big is a 7mm kidney stone?

For reference, 6mm, 7mm and 8mm kidney stones are . 23 inches, . 27 inches and . 31 inches in width respectively, making an 8mm kidney stone about the size of a small kernel of corn.

What are the 4 types of kidney stones?

Types of kidney stones include:Calcium stones. Most kidney stones are calcium stones, usually in the form of calcium oxalate. ... Struvite stones. Struvite stones form in response to a urinary tract infection. ... Uric acid stones. ... Cystine stones.

How can I check my kidneys at home?

One of the best ways to test for CKD and assess kidney damage is a simple urine test which detects the presence of albumin. The smartphone app from Healthy.io enables lay users to conduct a urinalysis test at home and securely share results with their clinicians.

Which injection is best for stone pain?

If the stone is causing severe pain, the urologist may choose to prescribe a narcotic. Providers may also inject patients with Ketorolac (Toradol), a more powerful anti-inflammatory medication.

How do you remove a kidney stone?

The doctor inserts the tool directly into your kidney through a small cut made in your back. For larger kidney stones, the doctor also may use a laser to break the kidney stones into smaller pieces.

What to do if you pass a kidney stone?

If you’re able to pass a kidney stone, a health care professional may ask you to catch the kidney stone in a special container. A health care professional will send the kidney stone to a lab to find out what type it is.

How do you find a stone in your bladder?

Cystoscopy and ureteroscopy. During cystoscopy, the doctor uses a cystoscope to look inside the urethra and bladder to find a stone in your urethra or bladder. During ureteroscopy, the doctor uses a ureteroscope, which is longer and thinner than a cystoscope, to see detailed images of the lining of the ureters and kidneys. The doctor inserts the cystoscope or ureteroscope through the urethra to see the rest of the urinary tract. Once the stone is found, the doctor can remove it or break it into smaller pieces. The doctor performs these procedures in the hospital with anesthesia. You can typically go home the same day.

What is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases?

This content is provided as a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health. The NIDDK translates and disseminates research findings to increase knowledge and understanding about health and disease among patients, health professionals, and the public. Content produced by the NIDDK is carefully reviewed by NIDDK scientists and other experts.

How long after kidney stone removal can you collect urine?

The health care professional also may ask you to collect your urine for 24 hours after the kidney stone has passed or been removed. The health care professional can then measure how much urine you produce in a day, along with mineral levels in your urine.

What is the tube called that a urologist puts in the urine?

After these procedures, sometimes the urologist may leave a thin flexible tube, called a ureteral stent, in your urinary tract to help urine flow or a stone to pass. Once the kidney stone is removed, your doctor sends the kidney stone or its pieces to a lab to find out what type it is.

How long do you have to take a kidney stone medicine?

Depending on the type of kidney stone you had and what type of medicine the health care professional prescribes, you may have to take the medicine for a few weeks, several months, or longer. For example, if you had struvite stones, you may have to take an oral antibiotic for 1 to 6 weeks, or possibly longer.

How do you break apart kidney stones?

Larger stones may need to be broken apart in order for the pieces to pass from the body in the urine. Shock wave treatment (also known as extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy) uses pulses of sound to break apart the kidney stone. These shock waves pass through the body from the outside, therefore the procedure doesn’t require surgery. However, some patients may be given medication or general anesthesia to help them relax or sleep.

How long does it take for a stone to pass in urine?

Once the stone is broken, the fragments will pass in the urine anywhere from one day to several weeks later. The patient will be given instructions from the the doctor telling him what to do during recovery, such as drink plenty of fluids. One or more follow up visits will be necessary to ensure that the stone has officially passed and that no new stone has developed.

What is the tube that carries urine from the kidneys to the bladder called?

Other medications (such as alpha blockers) to relax the muscles of the ureter, the tube that carries urine from the kidneys to the bladder

What is the tube that is placed inside the ureter?

Before the procedure, the patient might be given IV (intravenous) fluids, and a flexible tube ( stent) might be placed inside the ureter to keep the urine flowing.

Can a doctor take a watch and wait approach to a small stone?

In most cases, if the stones are small, the doctor will take a watch-and-wait approach. This, however, does not mean do nothing. Passage of these smaller stones can be aided by:

Can kidney stones be stuck in the urinary tract?

Larger kidney stones are less likely to pass from the body on their own, and may become stuck in part of the urinary tract. Left untreated, these stones can cause severe damage to the kidney when pressure from unpassed urine builds up behind the stone.

How do you get kidney stones out of your kidney?

Using ultrasound or fluoroscopic guidance, a surgeon gains access to kidney stones through a small incision in the lower back during percutaneous nephrolithotripsy. A power source, such as ultrasound or laser, breaks the stones into fragments, which are flushed out of the kidney through an external tube or internal stent.

Why are stones in the lower third of the kidney problematic?

Stones in the lower third of the kidney can also be problematic because, after fragmentation, the stone fragments may not be cleared from the kidney. Due to gravity, these fragments don’t pass out of the kidney as easily as fragments from the middle and upper thirds of the kidney.

What is the procedure that places a tube through the urethra and bladder into the ureter?

Ureteroscopy . During ureteroscopy , a surgeon places a tube through the urethra and bladder into the ureter, possibly going all the way up into the kidney. Ureteroscopy employs either semirigid or flexible instruments through which the surgeon has an excellent view of everything inside the urethra.

What is the anatomy of the urinary tract?

A brief anatomy of the urinary tract. The urinary tract includes. kidneys (two organs that filter waste and extra water from the blood) ureters (two tubes bringing urine from each kidney to the bladder) bladder (organ that collects urine) urethra (a single tube through which urine in the bladder passes out of the body).

What is the tube through which urine in the bladder passes out of the body?

urethra (a single tube through which urine in the bladder passes out of the body).

Can a stone pass through the urinary tract?

Most evidence suggests that stones less than 10 mm in diameter have a reasonable chance of passing through the urinary tract spontaneously. You may be offered medical expulsive therapy (MET) using an alpha blocker medication, such as tamsulosin. It’s important to understand that this is an off-label use of the drug. Rarely, tamsulosin causes a condition called intraoperative floppy iris syndrome that can complicate cataract surgery.

What is the best treatment for kidney stones?

Shock wave lithotripsy (SWL). This is the most common treatment in the U.S. It works best for small or medium stones. Your doctor aims high-energy sound waves to break up the kidney stone into little pieces. The shock waves come from outside the body, which is why the procedure sometimes is called extracorporeal SWL.

What is the best way to get rid of a stone in your bladder?

Calcium channel blockers and alpha-blockers: These relax your ureter, the tube through which pee passes from your kidney to your bladder. A wider ureter will help the stone move more quickly.

What to do if a stone is too large?

If the stone is small, they can use a basket to remove it. If the stone is larger, a laser passed through the scope can break it up. Percutaneous nephrolithotomy or percutaneous nephrolithotripsy. These similar surgical procedures are options if your stone is large or if other procedures fail to break them down enough.

How long do you have to stay in the hospital for a kidney stone?

You'll likely have to stay in the hospital for 1-2 days. Open surgery: This might be an option if your stone is very oversized or your doctor can't take it out with other treatments. You’ll be sedated and not awake. Your surgeon cuts through your side to reach the kidney, then takes the stone out through the opening.

How long does it take to recover from a stone?

You may need to stay in the hospital for a few days. It can take 4-6 weeks for you to fully recover. Your surgeon usually will ask a lab to identify the type of stone, so you might be able to take meds to avoid them in the future.

How long does it take for a stone to pass?

First, You Wait. If your stone doesn’t bother you, your doctor may suggest you wait 2-4 weeks for it to pass on its own. They may tell you to drink extra water to help flush it out of your body. They may ask you to catch the stone in a strainer when you pee.

How long do you have to stay in the hospital after a nephrolithotomy?

You will be given drugs so you won’t be awake or feel pain. You'll likely have to stay in the hospital for 1-2 days.

How to prevent kidney stones from forming?

Drinking plenty of fluids is a vital part of passing kidney stones and preventing new stones from forming. Not only does the liquid flush out toxins, but it also helps move stones and grit through your urinary tract. Although water alone may be enough to do the trick, adding certain ingredients can be beneficial.

How to save kidney stones?

Once you pass a kidney stone, you may want to save it to take to your doctor for testing. To save the stone, you need to strain your urine. You can do this using a urine screen, which you can get from the doctor’s office. Your doctor can determine what kind of stone it is and help develop a targeted prevention plan.

What is the best medicine for kidney stones?

digoxin (Digox) diuretics, such as spironolactone (Aldactone) 5. Celery juice. Celery juice is thought to clear away toxins that contribute to kidney stone formation and has long been used in traditional medications. It also helps flush out the body so you can pass the stone.

What is the color of urine that causes kidney stones?

Dehydration is one of the main risk factors for kidney stones, and the last thing you want is for more to form. Pay attention to the color of your urine. It should be a very light, pale yellow. Dark yellow urine is a sign of dehydration. 2.

What is a dandelion root juice?

Dandelion root juice. Dandelion root is a kidney tonic that stimulates the production of bile. This is thought to help eliminate waste, increase urine output, and improve digestion. Dandelions have vitamins (A, B, C, D) and minerals such as potassium, iron, and zinc.

What is the best way to flush out kidney stones?

The broth from cooked kidney beans is a traditional dish, often used in India, that has been used to improve overall urinary and kidney health. It also helps dissolve and flush out the stones. Simply strain the liquid from cooked beans and drink a few glasses throughout the day.

Does basil help with kidney stones?

Basil contains acetic acid, which helps break down the kidney stones and reduce pain. It’s also full of nutrients. This remedy has been used traditionally for digestive and inflammatory disorders.

What is kidney stone?

Kidney stones are hard deposits made from minerals such as calcium or waste products such as uric acid. They start small, but they can grow bigger as more minerals stick to them. Some kidney stones often pass on their own without treatment. Other stones that are painful or that get stuck in your urinary tract sometimes need to be removed ...

How long does it take to remove a kidney stone?

The surgery takes 20 to 45 minutes.

What is the procedure to break up a large lithotripsy stone?

Bleeding. Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy or Percutaneous Nephrolithotripsy. If your stone is large or lithotripsy doesn't break it up enough, this surgery is an option. PCNL uses a small tube to reach the stone and break it up with high-frequency sound waves.

How long does it take for a stent to be taken out?

The doctor might place a stent in your ureter to help urine drain from your kidney into your bladder. You'll go back to the doctor after 4 to 10 days to have the stent taken out. Some stents have a string on the end so you can pull it out yourself.

How do they find kidney stones?

The doctor uses an X-ray or ultrasoundto find the stone (or stones) in your kidney. Then, they aim high-energy shock waves at your kidney from the outside. These waves go through your skin and break up the stone into small pieces.

What is a ureterectomy?

This procedure treats stones in the kidneys and ureters. Your doctor uses a thin, flexible scope to find and remove stones. No cuts are made in your skin. You'll sleep through this procedure.

What happens if you have a stone stuck in your ureter?

You're in a lot of pain. The stone is blocking your urine flow. You're bleeding or you have an infection. You will be given something to make you unconscious during the procedure. The surgeon will make a cut in your side and into your kidney.

How to prevent kidney stones?

When it comes to kidney stone prevention, drinking plenty of fluids is generally recommended.

What are kidney stones made of?

What are kidney stones? Also known as renal stones or nephrolithiasis, kidney stones are composed of hard, solid waste materials that build up in the kidneys and form crystals. Four main types exist, but about 80% of all stones are calcium oxalate stones. Less common forms include struvite, uric acid, and cysteine ( 2.

How does calcium oxalate help with stone enlargement?

Preventing stone enlargement: It binds with existing calcium oxalate crystals, preventing them from getting larger. It can help you pass these crystals before they turn into larger stones ( 16, 19 ).

How many people have kidney stones?

Kidney stones are a common health problem. In fact, about 12% of men and 5% of women in the United States will develop a kidney stone during their lifetime ( 3 ).

What is the risk of kidney stones?

A diet high in animal protein sources, such as meat, fish, and dairy, is associated with a higher risk of kidney stones.

Can oxalate cause stone formation?

Oxalate can bind calcium and other minerals, forming crystals that can lead to stone formation ( 21. Trusted Source. ). However, foods high in oxalate also tend to be very healthy, so a strict low-oxalate diet is no longer recommended for all stone-forming individuals.

Does soda cause kidney stones?

On the other hand, consuming a lot of soda may contribute to kidney stone formation. This is true for both sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened sodas ( 9. Trusted Source. ). Sugar-sweetened soft drinks contain fructose, which is known to increase the excretion of calcium, oxalate, and uric acid.

What other treatment choices for kidney stones are available?

The idea is that the stone might be dissolved with medication. Other drugs such as K-citrate, thiazides or allopurinol are prescribed to prevent new stones from developing. Most doctors agree that more medical trials are needed.

What is the procedure for a kidney stone?

The medical terms for kidney stone surgery (with an incision) are ureterolithotomy or nephrolithotomy.

What is shock wave lithotripsy?

Shock Wave Lithotripsy (SWL) is the most common treatment for kidney stones in the U.S. Shock waves from outside the body are targeted at a kidney stone causing the stone to fragment. The stones are broken into tiny pieces. lt is sometimes called ESWL: Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy®.

What does the treatment involve?

You will be positioned on an operating table. A soft, water-filled cushion may be placed on your abdomen or behind your kidney. The body is positioned so that the stone can be targeted precisely with the shock wave. In an older method, the patient is placed in a tub of lukewarm water. About 1-2 thousand shock waves are needed to crush the stones. The complete treatment takes about 45 to 60 minutes.

How successful is shock wave lithotripsy?

ln those patients who are thought to be good candidates for this treatment, some 50-75% are found to be free of stones within three months of SWL treatment. The highest success rates seem to be in those patients with smaller stones (such as less than 1 cm).

What about stones in the ureter?

lf they don't pass, then another intervention is usually done. Ureteral stones that occur near the kidney are usually treated by SWL with or without moving the stone to a better spot. Ureteral stones that occur lower (near the bladder) may also be treated with SWL, but they usually require ureteroscopy especially if they are large (more than 1 cm in diameter).

Where can patients receive this type of treatment?

Treatment is available at many hospitals, outpatient centers and sometimes even in mobile units. For information about where to have lithotripsy done in your area, contact your doctor, local hospital or health care facility.

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