What Are the Treatments for Passing Kidney Stones?

Kidney stones are hard masses that are formed from mineral crystals. Because kidney stones can cause serious urinary complications, they need to be passed out of the body. Several treatments are used for passing kidney stones.

Significance

• Kidney stones need to be passed out of the body to prevent complications. Large stones can obstruct the flow of urine from the kidney to the bladder. Kidney stones also cause severe pain and may cause nausea, vomiting and blood in the urine.

Treatments

• The National Institutes of Health recommends drinking 6 to 8 oz of fluid each day, which helps to dissolve stones so they are passed out of the body. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is used to break up large stones. During this procedure, shock waves are passed through the skin and into the kidney stones. Once the stones are broken up, they are eliminated with the urine.

Time Frame

• If you are trying to pass a stone on your own, it may take several days. The Urology Channel reports that ESWL takes one hour to complete, but it may take some time to pass the kidney stone out of the body. Drinking plenty of fluids helps to speed up the elimination process.

Complications

• ESWL may cause urinary tract infections, bleeding around the kidney and blocked urine flow. Stone fragments may cause pain until they are passed out of the body. The anesthesia used during this procedure may cause nausea, vomiting and other complications.

Considerations

• ESWL should not be used in anyone who has a pacemaker. This procedure does not work for kidney stones made of cystine, so an alternative treatment must be used.