Information about Kidney Stones Treatment

Treatment

Drinking more fluids. You need to drink enough water to keep your urine clear, about 8 to 10 glasses a day. Try to drink 2 glasses of water every 2 hours while you are awake. If you have kidney, heart, or liver disease and are on fluid restrictions, talk with your doctor before increasing your fluid intake.

Watchful waiting is the most common treatment, as most kidney stones are small enough to pass on their own. Mayo Clinic offers three minimally invasive ways of removing troublesome kidney stones. Mayo Clinic evaluates each patient’s need for kidney stone treatment, and follows up to ensure measures are being taken to prevent additional stones from forming.

A simple and most important lifestyle change to prevent stones is to drink more liquids—water is best. Someone who tends to form stones should try to drink enough liquids throughout the day to produce at least 2 quarts of urine in every 24-hour period.

In the past, people who form calcium stones were told to avoid dairy products and other foods with high calcium content. Recent studies have shown that foods high in calcium, including dairy products, may help prevent calcium stones. Taking calcium in pill form, however, may increase the risk of developing stones.

ESWL (extracorporeal means “outside the body”) is a procedure that uses shock waves to smash the kidney stone into tiny pieces that can pass from the body. It is usually used for smaller stones. In ESWL, the patient is placed in a large tub of water. The urologist locates the kidney stone with an X-ray or ultrasound. Shock waves are generated and travel through the water to the kidney area and crush the stone.

Ureteroscopy procedure is performed when the stone is located in the ureter. The urologist slips an instrument called a ureteroscope through the urethra (the tube through which the urine passes) into the bladder and up to the ureter. The urologist can then remove the stone with a device that resembles a cage or use ultrasound shock waves to pulverize the stone.

Thiazides, water pills (diuretics), are sometimes prescribed to reduce high levels of urinary calcium (hypercalciuria) and to increase urinary volume. Patients with hypercalciuria who do not respond to thiazide therapy may be prescribed orthophosphates o reduce calcium absorption and may be given dietary calcium restrictions. Patients should not reduce their calcium intake unless their physicians advise them to do so.

Hypocitraturia (low level of urinary citrate) usually requires a prescribed supplement, such as potassium citrate. The dosage depends on the level of urinary citrate, which is determined by the 24-hour urine test. Patients with renal tubular acidosis usually respond well to treatment with potassium citrate supplements. Citrus fruits and lemon juice also can be used as supplements.

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