Treatment and Prevention of Kidney Stones

The first step in any method of treatment for kidney stones is to drink lots and lots of water. Most doctors recommend as much as 2 or 3 quarts per day. This will help to flush the stones out of your body. Drinking a lot of water will also help prevent the stones from coming back.

The key word in the last paragraph was WATER. It won’t help much if you drink a lot of coffee, tea or alcoholic beverages. Those types of drinks usually tend to dry out the kidneys even more. You should also avoid excessive amounts of soft drinks.

If the stones don’t pass after drinking lots of water or the x-rays show the stone is blocking the kidneys, then the doctor will move to the next step of treatment.

There are 3 main methods of treatment:

Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy (ESWL) – This is the most frequently used option. Shock waves are used to break up the kidney stones to make them easier to pass. The most common way to use ESWL is to be partially submerged in a tub of water while the shock waves are used. You will be partially sedated as the shock waves are mildly painful.

Ureteroscopic Stone Removal – If ESWL doesn’t work, the doctor may next try this method if the stone is near or lodged in the ureter. In this method, the doctor passes a small fiber optic instrument up into the urethra and through the bladder to locate the stone and either grab it or shatter it.

Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy – If the other methods don’t work or the stone is very large, then the doctor will probably try this method. The doctor will make a small incision in your back and create a small tunnel directly to the kidney. He will then find the stone and remove it. You will probably need to stay in the hospital for a few days while you heal from this method as it is classed as major surgery.

How do you prevent kidney stones?

Water is the best and cheapest way to help prevent kidney stones. You should try to drink 2 or 3 quarts of water per day. It is especially important to drink lots of water if you have already had kidney stones in the past as they can have a tendency to re-occur.

Your doctor will tell you what types of food to avoid or cut back on depending on what type of kidney stones you have, or you can visit the dietician at your hospital for advice.

If you have calcium stones (the most common type), your doctor will probably ask you to cut back on salt and sodium in your diet. Excessive sodium causes you to lose more calcium in your urine.