Strategies for Passing a Kidney Stone With Little Pain

Kidney stones, small crystals that form in the kidneys and eventually pass through the urinary tract, can cause excruciating pain. According to the National Institutes of Health, 3 million people will seek medical help for kidney stones each year. Most doctors will tell patients to allow the stone to pass naturally, even though it causes much pain. Patients waiting for a kidney stone to pass can take steps to lessen the pain they experience, however.

Drink Water

• Patients in the process of passing kidney stones should increase their water intake. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the most important way to treat and prevent kidney stones is to drink more water. The amount of water a patient needs varies, so doctors measure fluid intake by urine output. NIDDK says that patients who are passing a kidney stone need to be producing at least 2 quarts of water every 24 hours. The Mayo Clinic states that the average patient with kidney stones should drink 2 to 3 quarts of water daily.

Exercise

• Physical activity also helps lessen the pain associated with kidney stones. Exercise helps the body absorb calcium more effectively, which can lower the chances of more stones developing. Exercise also releases endorphins. These neurotransmitters in the brain alleviate pain, so a good round of exercise can literally take some of the pain of the kidney stone away, while providing prevention against more pain in the future.

Medications

• Pain relievers can take some of the pain out of passing a kidney stone. To get the most benefit out of pain relievers, alternate between taking an NSAID (like ibuprofen) and acetaminophen every two to four hours, based on the dosage schedule on the medication. If your pain is severe, talk to your doctor about a prescription-strength pain reliever you can use. Continue to drink plenty of water even if the medication dulls the pain, because the water is necessary to flush out the stone.

Medical Intervention

• If your stone does not pass on its own in a couple of days or you experience extreme pain, contact your doctor. You may need medical intervention to pass the stone successfully. The stone could be lodged in the urinary tract, or it may have caused an infection.

  Medical interventions for stones less than 1 cm in diameter usually start with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy. This procedure uses shock waves to break up the stone into smaller pieces so that it can pass on its own. Since it is done under anesthesia, patients experience little pain. Other medical interventions include surgical removal, either through the back as in a percutaneous nephrolithotomy, or through the ureter using a ureteroscope. Some stones can be shattered using a laser.