What Helps Pass a Kidney Stone?

Kidney stones can be very painful and cause severe damage if not passed through the urinary tract. There are several ways to help pass a stone.

Water Solution

• Kidney stones can be passed by drinking plenty of water (two to three quarts a day) to help pass the stone through the urinary system, according to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC).

Easing Pain

• Because a kidney stone is painful, a doctor will likely recommend a pain medication to ease the difficulty of passing the stone. Getting rid of the pain is important for helping pass a kidney stone.

Medicinal Solution

• Alpha-blocker medicines can also be prescribed to help pass a kidney stone. These medications relax the interior walls of the ureters. The tubes become wider, allowing urine and kidney stones to pass more easily.

Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy

• Shock waves passed through the skin can break up a kidney stone and make it easier to pass through the urinary tract. NKUDIC claims this process, called extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), is the most frequently used treatment for kidney stones.

Ureteroscopic Stone Removal

• Another procedure to help pass a kidney stone is ureteroscopic stone removal. A ureteroscope is sent up into the ureter through the urethra and bladder to break up a stone with a shock wave, which makes it easier to pass.