In this Article

• What is a kidney stone?
• What causes kidney stones?
• What are symptoms of kidney stones?
• How are kidney stones diagnosed?
• What is the treatment for kidney stones?
• How can kidney stones be prevented?
• Pictures of Kidney Stones - Slideshow
• Patient Discussions: Kidney Stones - Symptoms Experienced
• Kidney Stone Glossary
• Kidney Stone Index

What is the treatment for kidney stones?

Most kidney stones eventually pass through the urinary tract on their own within 48 hours, with ample fluid intake. Pain medications are used for symptom relief. When over-the-counter medications are not sufficient for pain control, narcotics may be prescribed. Intravenous pain medications can be given when nausea and vomiting are present.

There are several factors which influence the ability to pass a stone. These include the size of the person, prior stone passage, prostate enlargement, pregnancy, and the size of the stone. A 4 mm stone has an 80% chance of passage while a 5 mm stone has a 20% chance. Stones larger than 9 mm-10 mm rarely pass without specific treatment.

Some medications have been used to increase the passage rates of kidney stones. These include calcium channel blockers such as nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia, Afeditab, Nifediac) and alpha blockers such as tamsulosin (Flomax). These drugs may be prescribed to some people who have stones that do not rapidly pass through the urinary tract.

For kidney stones that do not pass on their own, a procedure called lithotripsy is often used. In this procedure, shock waves are used to break up a large stone into smaller pieces that can then pass through the urinary system.

Surgical techniques have also been developed to remove kidney stones when other treatment methods are not effective. This may be done through a small incision in the skin (percutaneous nephrolithotomy) or through an instrument known as an ureteroscope passed through the urethra and bladder up into the ureter.

Kidney Stones - Symptoms Experienced

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