Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Getting Rid of Small Stones
• Method 2 of 3: Medical Assistance
• Method 3 of 3: Preventing Kidney Stone Disease
• Tips

Kidney stones can cause moderate to severe pain, but fortunately they rarely lead to permanent damage or complications. Although kidney stones are uncomfortable, in most cases they are quite small and go out on their own without medical attention. Drink plenty of water, relieve pain with medication, and if your doctor recommends, take medications to relax your urinary tract muscles. To reduce your risk of future kidney stones, switch to a low-fat diet, limit your salt intake, and make other dietary changes as recommended by your doctor.

Attention:the information in this article is for informational purposes only. Before using any methods, consult your doctor.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Getting Rid of Small Stones

1. 1 If you suspect you have kidney stones, see your doctor. Symptoms of kidney stones include severe pain in the sides, back, groin, and lower back, as well as pain when urinating, cloudy urine, and an inability to urinate. See your doctor for an accurate diagnosis and an appropriate treatment plan.
   • Doctors diagnose kidney stones based on blood and urine tests, ultrasound and x-rays. Tests and imaging tests allow the doctor to determine the type of stones, their size, and whether they are small enough to come out on their own.
2. 2 Drink at least 6-8 glasses (1.5-2 liters) of water daily. Water flushes out kidney stones and helps them get out of the body. To assess if you are drinking enough fluids, look at your urine. If it is light yellow, then you are drinking enough water. If your urine is dark, you are dehydrated.
   • Keeping your body hydrated will help prevent future kidney stones, so drink plenty of water every day.
   • Drinking water is best, although ginger ale and some 100 percent fruit juices can also be consumed in moderation. Avoid drinking grapefruit and cranberry juices, as they increase your risk of kidney stones.
   • Avoid or limit your caffeine intake as it contributes to dehydration. Aim to drink no more than 1 cup (250 milliliters) of caffeinated coffee, tea, or Coca-Cola per day.
3. 3 Take as needed or as directed by a healthcare practitioner pain relievers. In most cases, kidney stones come out on their own, and this is a rather painful process. To manage pain, take over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or aspirin. Observe the instructions for use.
   • If over-the-counter drugs are ineffective, ask your doctor to prescribe other drugs for you. If necessary, your doctor will prescribe a stronger drug (such as ibuprofen), and in some cases may prescribe a narcotic pain reliever.
   • Take your prescription drugs as directed by your doctor.
4. 4 Ask your doctor about alpha blockers. These drugs relax the muscles in the urinary tract, making kidney stones easier to pass through. Typically, alpha blockers are prescription drugs and should be taken at the same time every day, 30 minutes after meals.
   • Side effects of alpha blockers include dizziness, lightheadedness, weakness, diarrhea, and fainting. Taking your time when getting out of bed or chair will help prevent dizziness and fainting. Consult your doctor for persistent or severe side effects.
5. 5 If a doctor recommends, try to find a sample of the stone. To do this, your doctor may advise you to urinate into a glass and then drain the urine. A stone sample may be needed if the urinary tract is blocked, or if the type of kidney stones has not been identified.
   • Long-term treatment for kidney stones depends on the type of stones and the underlying cause. The doctor may need a sample of the stone so that he can prescribe an effective treatment plan.
   • If necessary, your doctor will give you what you need and explain how to draw and drain urine to obtain a sample of the stone.
6. 6 Wait at least a few weeks for the kidney stones to clear. Small stones can take several weeks to several months to come out. During this time, continue to take your prescribed drugs as directed by your doctor. Drink plenty of fluids, control pain, and follow your doctor's prescribed diet.
   • Waiting for small stones to come out can be quite difficult. However, be patient. Although small kidney stones usually go away on their own, sometimes medical attention is needed. See your doctor if symptoms worsen (for example, if you have severe pain, inability to urinate, or if there is blood in your urine).

Method 2 of 3: Medical Assistance

1. 1 Seek medical attention immediately if symptoms are severe. Symptoms include blood in the urine, fever or chills, discoloration of the skin, severe back or side pain, vomiting, and burning when urinating. If you are waiting for a small stone to come out and you have one of these symptoms, contact your doctor if you have his phone number.
   • If you have not seen a doctor or have not been diagnosed with kidney stones, seek medical attention for the symptoms listed above.
   • The doctor will do an ultrasound or X-ray to look for kidney stones. If the stone is too large to come out on its own, one of the treatments may be recommended. The specific method depends on the size and location of the stone.
2. 2 Take medications to prevent the formation and growth of kidney stones. Your doctor may prescribe medications to help dissolve and remove the substances that form kidney stones. For example, potassium citrate is taken to get rid of the most common calcium stones.For uric acid stones, allopurinol is often prescribed, which lowers the concentration of uric acid in the body.
   • Medication can cause a variety of side effects, including upset stomach, diarrhea, nausea, and drowsiness. Consult your doctor for persistent or severe side effects.
3. 3 If necessary, talk to your doctor about treating the possible cause. Kidney stones can be associated with indigestion, gout, kidney disease, obesity, and certain medications. To reduce the risk of future kidney stones, talk to your doctor about treating the possible cause, changing your diet, or switching to other medications.
   • Mixed kidney stones can form as a result of infection, in which case your doctor will likely prescribe antibiotics. Take your medications as directed by your doctor and do not end your treatment without consulting your doctor.
4. 4 Crush large stones with shock wave therapy. Lithotripsy, or shock wave therapy, helps to break up relatively large stones in the kidney and upper urinary tract. The device sends intense sound waves into the body, which break large stones into smaller fragments. These fragments are then excreted during urination.
   • You will be given a medication to help you relax or fall asleep during the procedure. The procedure takes about an hour and takes about 2 hours to recover. Most patients leave the hospital the same day.
   • Relax for 1–2 days before resuming your normal lifestyle. Fragments of stones may come out for another 4-8 weeks. During this period, pain in the back and on the sides, nausea, and the presence of a small amount of blood in the urine are possible.
5. 5 If you have large stones in your lower urinary tract, you may have a cystoscopy. The lower urinary tract includes the bladder and urethra, the tube through which urine is excreted from the body. To detect and remove large stones from these organs, a special thin device is used.
   • To remove stones from the urinary tract that connects the kidneys and bladder, your doctor may recommend a similar procedure, ureteroscopy. If the stone is too large, it is broken up by a laser into smaller pieces, which are removed when urinating.
   • Cystoscopy and urethroscopy are often performed under general anesthesia, meaning the patient is asleep during the procedure. Most patients are discharged home after two to three days.
   • The first 24 hours after the procedure, there may be a burning sensation when urinating, a small amount of blood may be present in the urine. If these symptoms persist for more than one day, tell your doctor.
6. 6 If other methods have not worked, ask your doctor about surgery. Although nephrolithiasis rarely requires surgery, it may be necessary if other treatments have proved to be ineffective or ineffective. In this case, a tube is inserted through a small incision in the back into the kidney, after which the stones are removed or crushed using a laser.
   • After a nephrolithotomy, or kidney surgery, patients usually spend at least five days in the hospital. Your doctor will tell you how to change your dressing, care for your incision, and recover from surgery.

Method 3 of 3: Preventing Kidney Stone Disease

1. 1 Talk to your doctor about how you can prevent certain types of kidney stones. Based on the specific type of stones, the doctor will recommend appropriate dietary changes. Limiting sodium intake, a low-fat diet, and staying hydrated can help prevent all types of kidney stones from forming. In addition to these steps, you may need additional preventive measures for certain types of stones.
   • For example, if uric acid stones form, exclude herring, sardines, anchovies, liver (such as liver), mushrooms, asparagus, and spinach from the diet.
   • For calcium stones, avoid calcium and vitamin D supplements, limit calcium-rich foods to 2–3 servings per day, and avoid calcium antacids.
   • Remember, those who have had them in the past are at increased risk of developing kidney stones. Within 5–10 years, kidney stones reappear in about 50% of patients. However, preventive measures help reduce the likelihood of recurrence of kidney stones.
2. 2 Aim to consume no more than 1,500 milligrams of salt per day. Although the recommended daily intake of salt for adults is less than 2,300 milligrams, your doctor may recommend lowering it to 1,500 milligrams. Avoid adding salt to ready meals and try to use less salt in your cooking.
   • Instead of salt, add fresh and dried herbs, juice, and citrus zest to your food.
   • Prepare food yourself and try to visit restaurants and other food service outlets as little as possible, as there is no way to control the amount of salt.
   • Don't buy prepared, processed, or pickled foods. Also, avoid salty foods like chips.
3. 3 Include lemons in your diet, especially if you have calcium stones. Drink water with freshly squeezed lemon juice, or drink a glass of low-sugar lemonade daily. Lemon juice helps to dissolve calcium stones and prevent their formation.
   • In addition, lemon juice reduces the risk of uric acid stones.
   • Try not to drink lemonade and other lemon drinks that are high in sugar.
4. 4 Eat lean protein foods in moderation. Your doctor may recommend that you eat lean, animal-based protein foods such as white poultry and eggs in moderation. To reduce your risk of any type of kidney stone formation, avoid high-fat red meat and try to get as much protein as possible from plant-based foods such as beans, lentils, and nuts.
   • If you are at increased risk of uric acid stones, try to eat no more than 85 grams of meat per meal. It is possible that the doctor will recommend completely abandoning animal proteins, including eggs and poultry, in order to prevent the appearance of uric acid stones.
5. 5 Include calcium-rich foods in your diet, but refrain from taking dietary supplements. With calcium stones, you should not completely eliminate calcium from your diet. This trace mineral is essential for healthy bones, so drink 2-3 servings of milk daily, and eat some cheese or yogurt.
   • Do not take calcium, vitamin D, or vitamin C supplements, or antacids that contain calcium.
6. 6 Exercise regularly, but drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Try to exercise for about 30 minutes a day. Regular physical activity is very important for your health. Brisk walking or cycling is great, especially if you're not used to exercise.
   • When exercising, pay attention to how much you sweat. The more you sweat, the more you should drink. To prevent dehydration, try to drink about 1 cup (250 milliliters) of water every 20 minutes during vigorous exercise, hot weather, or heavy sweating.

Tips

• It is necessary to take measures to help prevent recurrence of kidney stones in the future. However, keep in mind that kidney stones re-form in about half of people.