Do you know? Up to 50% of people with a kidney stone get another in 5 years. This shows how common and repeating this pain is. Kidney stones are hard pieces of minerals that grow in the kidneys. If you do not treat them, they can hurt a lot.
This guide looks at the best ways to treat kidney stones. There are methods without surgery and those that need surgery. You’ll find out how to stop them from happening again. And you’ll know what to do for long-term care.
You’ll learn about different types of kidney stones. You’ll see the symptoms, how doctors know you have them, and what affects the treatment plan. We’ll talk about getting better, what to do after treatment, and special care for specific stone types. By the end, you’ll understand how to treat and prevent kidney stones well.
Key Takeaways
- Kidney stones are common and may happen again. They cause a lot of pain and other problems.
- There are many ways to help, from simple ones like drinking more water and taking medicine to surgeries.
- The size, place, and what the stone is made of decide how it is treated.
- You can lower the chance of getting stones again by changing your diet and lifestyle.
- Some medical centers have the newest treatments and work together to help with kidney stones.
Understanding Kidney Stones
Kidney stones are tiny to large, hard crystals in the kidneys. They come in different types, like calcium, uric acid, struvite, and cystine stones. Each type is made of different minerals and has unique causes.
What are Kidney Stones?
Kidney stones form when minerals in the urine crystalize. They can be very painful and cause big problems if you don’t treat them. It’s important to know how they form and what can lead to them.
Types of Kidney Stones
The most common types of kidney stones are calcium stones. They form when oxalate and calcium mix in urine. There are also uric acid stones, struvite stones, and rare cystine stones. Each has its own causes and related health issues.
Causes and Risk Factors
Many things can raise the chances of getting kidney stones. These include not drinking enough water, eating too much salt, being overweight, having diabetes, and if it runs in your family. Also, certain health problems, like bowel issues and a gland condition, can make you more likely to get them.
Symptoms of Kidney Stones
The main symptom of kidney stones is strong pain that comes and goes. It’s often felt in the back, belly, or groin. Kidney stone pain is a key sign that there might be a stone.
Blood in Urine
Finding blood in your pee, also called hematuria, could mean there’s a stone. Or, it might show there’s harm from the stone moving in the urinary tract.
Nausea and Vomiting
Sometimes, kidney stones cause nausea and you may throw up. The sharp pain can make your nerves act up, leading to tummy problems. A kidney stone might also bring a fever or chills if it causes an untreated infection in your bladder.
Diagnostic Tests for Kidney Stones
Finding kidney stones often needs blood checks, urine checks, and pictures of your insides. Doctors use these tests to figure out how to treat your stone.
Blood Tests
Blood checks look for too much calcium, uric acid, and cystine. Finding high levels can show why you’re getting stones.
Urine Tests
Urine checks, including one that takes 24 hours, test for minerals that form stones. They also show if you have too many of these minerals.
Imaging Techniques
Scans like CT, ultrasound, and X-rays point out where stones are. CT scans are best for seeing even tiny stones. Simple X-rays might miss them. Ultrasound is another choice because it’s easy and doesn’t need any cuts. It, too, can spot kidney stones.
Non-Surgical Kidney Stone Treatment Options
If you have a small kidney stone, you might not need surgery. The first step is to drink more water. This will help wash the stone out and stop new ones from forming. Take over-the-counter pain meds like ibuprofen to feel better as the stone moves. Medicines like tamsulosin can also make it easier for the stone to leave your body pain-free. These steps are the usual way to treat small kidney stones without surgery.
Increased Fluid Intake
Drinking lots of water, at least six to eight glasses daily, is key. It keeps your urine light and helps wash away the minerals that form stones. Citrus drinks, including lemonade and orange juice, are good because they have citrate. Citrate can lower your risk of getting a kidney stone.
Pain Medication
When passing a kidney stone, taking pain meds like ibuprofen can help. They lower the pain and make you more comfortable during treatment.
Alpha-Blockers
Alpha-blocker meds like tamsulosin make it easier for the stone to pass with less pain. They are often given to help the stone move out and relieve pain.
Surgical Kidney Stone Treatment Options
For big kidney stones or ones that non-surgical ways can’t move, doctors suggest surgery. One method is Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL). It uses sound waves to break stones into tiny pieces.
Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL)
ESWL is done outside the hospital. A special machine sends sound waves to the stone. This breaks it up so it can leave the body.
This way is good for stones under two centimeters, softer stones, and those stuck in the ureter.
Ureteroscopy
Ureteroscopy uses a small tool called a ureteroscope to find stones. It goes through the urethra and bladder. Doctors do this in the hospital when the patient is asleep.
It works well for stones in the ureters up to medium size.
Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL)
PCNL is a surgery that opens a little back incision to reach the kidney. It’s for larger stones over two centimeters. You might need a few surgeries to fully remove the stone. It is done in a hospital with anesthesia.
Doctors pick the right surgery based on the stone’s size and where it is. This surgery is tailored to each patient. Medical centers like NYU Langone are very good at these surgeries. They make sure to give the best care to people with kidney stones.
kidney stone treatment
Doctors suggest ways to stop more kidney stones from forming. Medicines like thiazide diuretics or citrate supplements can change the minerals in your pee. This makes it harder for new stones to grow. You can also change your diet to drink more, eat less salt, and cut down on certain foods. This can help keep kidney stones away.
Keeping a good weight and drinking plenty of water are also helpful steps. This makes a big difference, especially when it’s hot. By using both medicine and lifestyle changes, you have a better chance of not getting kidney stones again.
Medications for Kidney Stone Prevention
Doctors might give you drugs to avoid getting more kidney stones. For some, thiazide diuretics can lower how much calcium is in the urine. This makes getting calcium stones less likely. Citrate supplements help keep stones from forming in your pee. They stop certain substances from coming together to start a stone. If you have uric acid stones, allopurinol could be what you need. It lowers the acid in your body, which helps stop more stones.
Dietary Changes for Prevention
Drinking more water – especially plain water – is key to avoiding kidney stones. You should drink about 12 glasses every day. This flushes out the bad stuff in your pee, so stones can’t form. Eating less sodium and animal protein, and avoiding foods high in oxalate (like spinach and nuts) is important, too. This keeps more stones from starting.
Lifestyle Modifications
Being the right weight and not doing high-protein or crash diets is good for your health. It can stop kidney stones from coming back. Also, make sure to drink enough, especially when it’s hot. Seeing a doctor or dietitian can guide you to the best diet and habits to prevent stones.
Factors Affecting Treatment Choice
Doctors decide on kidney stone treatment based on a few big things: size, location, and what the stone is made of. If it’s small and not causing trouble, they might just ask you to drink lots of water and take some pain pills. For big or really bothersome stones, you might need surgery. This includes things like ESWL or going in with tiny tools to break it or take it out.
Size of the Stone
How big the stone is really matters. Small ones, under 5 mm, might go away on their own if you drink plenty of water and take something for the pain. But, big ones, usually over 10 mm, might need surgery to get rid of them.
Location of the Stone
Where the stone is found in your body is very important. If it’s in your kidney, ureter, or bladder, it changes how they treat it. The close the stone is to an opening, the easier it is to get to for treatments.
Type of Kidney Stone
The type of stone tells the doctors how to treat it. Some stones need special care or medicines to help you pass them. Knowing what the stone is made of helps the doctors make a plan just for you.
Recovery and Follow-Up Care
After treating kidney stones, a good recovery plan is key. Pain can be managed with meds, as you pass stone pieces. This helps stop pain as they move out of your body.
Monitoring for Complications
Doctors will keep an eye out for issues, like infection or blockage. They might need more tests to check if all stones are gone. Keeping up with healthy eating and taking meds is also important to stop stones from coming back.
Preventing Recurrence
Seeing a urologist or nephrologist regularly is important. They will help you take care of your kidneys. By working to find out what causes your stones and how to prevent them, you lessen the chance of getting more.
Kidney Stone Treatment at Medical Centers
Many medical centers treat kidney stones. The UCLA Stone Treatment Center is one such place. It has the latest tech and experts for kidney stone treatment. You will get the best care there.
These centers use advanced imaging and surgery tools. They offer treatments from simple to complex. A team of doctors will help you decide what’s best for you.
| Kidney Stone Treatment Options | Description |
|---|---|
| Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL) | This is a painless way to break up stones. A machine sends sound waves to the stone. |
| Ureteroscopy | This is done with a special tube in the hospital. It finds and removes stones without a big cut. |
| Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL) | It’s a surgery that makes a small back cut. Doctors get the stone out this way. |
Hyperparathyroidism and Kidney Stones
Kidney stones can sometimes happen because of a condition called hyperparathyroidism. In this condition, the parathyroid gland is too active. This makes the blood have too much calcium.
With too much calcium, the risk of getting kidney stones goes up. If the stones are because of hyperparathyroidism, doctors might suggest surgery to fix the problem.
Parathyroid Surgery
Surgery for hyperparathyroidism is often quick and you can go home the same day. Sometimes, doctors need to take out more than one gland. This is in about one-third of cases.
There might be rare issues like problems with your voice or low calcium after surgery. But, most people feel better in a week or two. They might feel tired or have a sore throat for a bit.
Calcium-Regulating Medications
Doctors can also give drugs that help control calcium. These might include thiazide diuretics or other medicines. They aim to lower the chances of more kidney stones.
Treating the real cause, like fixing the parathyroid gland, is key. It helps stop kidney stones from coming back. So, surgery and medicines can work together to keep you healthy.
Struvite Stones and Antibiotics
Struvite stones are a special type of kidney stone linked to UTIs from certain bacteria. They are made of magnesium, ammonium, and phosphate. They form when an infection is there. Doctors might give you antibiotics for a long time to stop the infection and keep the stones from growing.
Sometimes, surgery is needed to take out the stones. After this, you might still take antibiotics to keep the urinary tract free from bacteria. This helps Lower the risk of getting the stones again. Managing both stones and the infection is very important. It helps avoid big issues like harm to the kidneys or sepsis.
Cystine Stones and Specialized Treatment
Cystine stones are rare kidney stones. They are hard to deal with because they’re made of the amino acid cystine. This happens in people with a certain genetic condition. Doctors use special methods to treat these stones. This can include medicines to help dissolve the cystine in urine. They might also change the patient’s diet to lower cystine levels.
At times, surgery is the best option to remove cystine stones. Doctors may use tools like a ureteroscope or perform a nephrolithotomy. But overall care for cystine stones involves many steps. This includes watching closely, taking specific medicines, and making ongoing diet changes to stop the stones from coming back.
| Key Facts About Cystine Stones | Statistics |
|---|---|
| Representation Among All Kidney Stones | 1% to 2% of all kidney stones, but 6% to 8% of pediatric calculi |
| Incidence of Cystinuria | About 1 in 7,000 worldwide and in the United States |
| Gender Prevalence | Men are affected about twice as often as women |
| Typical Age of First Stone Presentation | Around 22 years, with a significant percentage starting in childhood |
| 5-Year Recurrence Rate for Cystine Stones | 83%, the highest among all stone types |
| Average Stones and Surgical Procedures per Cystinuria Patient | One stone every 1-2 years and 7 surgeries by middle age |
| Recurrence Rates After Surgical Intervention | 45% at 3 months without prophylactic treatment, 25% at 3 years with treatment |
| Risk of Renal Injury or Failure Among Cystinuria Patients | Up to 70%, but less than 5% develop end-stage renal failure |
Doctors have many ways to treat cystine stones. They may use medicine, diet changes, or surgery. A mix of these methods works best. This plan helps lower how often the stones come back. It also helps avoid the problems these stones can cause over time.
Complementary and Alternative Therapies
Traditional treatments are key for dealing with kidney stones. Yet, some people look at other therapies too. They try things like Chanca piedra and hydrangea root. These are herbs thought to help break down stones or stop more from forming.
Acupuncture is another method some find helpful. It uses little needles to ease pain and get energy flowing. However, it’s best to talk to your doctor before trying these outside methods.
Herbal Remedies
Chanca piedra and hydrangea root might be good for preventing kidney stones. They seem to work because they can help with swelling and dissolve stones. But, we don’t know for sure how well they really work. More studies are needed to be sure they’re safe and do what we hope they will.
If you’re thinking about using these herbs, you should check with your doctor first. This is to make sure they won’t mess with any other treatments you might be getting.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a method some say helps with kidney stone pain. It’s an old Chinese way of putting thin needles into the skin to fix the body’s energy flow. But, we’re not exactly sure how it works.
Still, a few studies think acupuncture could make kidney stones better or easier to pass. But, we need more proof to be certain. Always talk to your doctor before you try acupuncture for kidney stones.
Kidney Stone Prevention Strategies
Stopping new kidney stones from forming is very important for your health. A great way is to drink lots of water each day. You should try to drink enough so your body makes at least 2 liters of urine. Changing what you eat can also help. Eat less salt and meat, and more fruits, veggies, and things like oranges. This makes it less likely for kidney stones to form.
Staying at a healthy weight is also key. A good diet and regular exercise are crucial. This is especially true for those who are too heavy. These steps help a lot in keeping kidney stones away. So, anyone who has had kidney stones before can use these tips to lower the risk of getting them again.
Conclusion
Kidney stones are a common problem that can be very painful. They affect how someone lives their life. But, there are many good ways to treat and prevent them.
Doctors work with you to find the best plan. This plan can include drinking more water, taking medicine, or even having surgery. The right treatment depends on the type of stone and what you need.
Healthcare teams help you understand what causes these stones. They teach you to eat and live better to stop them from coming back. Working together, you can beat kidney stones and feel better.
If you focus on treating and stopping kidney stones, life gets better. You and your healthcare team make a plan that fits just for you. This helps you have a healthier future without these painful stones.
