|  | Conditions Treatments | Kidney Disease

What Is the Quickest Way to Pass a Kidney Stone?

According to Medline Plus, kidney stones are solid crystal masses that form in the kidneys. These stones can be in both the ureter and the kidneys at the same time. These stones generally form when urine has too much of certain substances. Kidney stones may be large or small, and several of them may be present at one time. If they do not pass on their own, there are other ways to pass them.

  1. Lifestyle Changes

    • According to the National Kidney and Urologic Disease Information Clearinghouse, most kidney stones pass through the urinary system by drinking plenty of water (two to three quarts a day). They also suggest that you drink enough water to produce two quarts of urine every day. In addition, people who form kidney stones should eat foods high in calcium, which may prevent the formation of future kidney stones. However, this is not the case with calcium supplements, which actually increase the risk of developing stones.

    Medical Therapy

    • Using prescription medications is often the most efficient way of getting rid of kidney stones. In fact, certain medications may even prevent calcium and uric acid stones. These preventive medications are used to stop crystal (stone) formation by controlling the amount of alkali (acid) in the urine. They are also used to control hypercalciuria, which causes calcium to build up into stones. Medications that are aimed at hypercalciuria decrease the amount of calcium that the kidney absorbs, thus preventing the buildup.

    Hospital Treatment

    • In some instances, surgery may be recommended as the fastest way to remove a stone. You will need surgery if your kidney stone has not passed after the projected time (set by your physician) or if it is too large to pass, prevents you from urinating, causes urinary tract infections, damages the kidneys or causes constant bleeding or has grown larger from the day of diagnosis. According to the National Kidney and Urologic Disease Information Clearinghouse, until the late 1980s surgery was necessary to remove all kidney stones.

      The procedure used most frequently is extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). ESWL is a procedure that breaks up kidney stones to make them easier to pass. The procedure works by sending shock waves through the skin into the body's tissues to break up the stone. After ESWL is performed, you may have blood in your urine for a few days. The procedure is done mainly on an outpatient basis, and recovery time is just a few days.

Kidney Disease - Related Articles