There are various ways of treating kidney stones. They focus on pain relief,
hydration, and antibiotics (if any urinary infections are present). Your doctor
will take into consideration several factors, including the type of stone, the
cause of the stone, your medical profile, and the severity of the condition.
Sometimes simply drinking 3 quarts or more of water a day will
disintegrate the stone, allowing it to pass without any medical intervention.
(If you are aware that you are passing one, urinate through a strainer and take
the stone to your doctor to have it analyzed.) Otherwise, you will have one of
the following treatments:
Extracorporeal shock wave
lithotripsy (ESWL): This is the most common procedure used to treat
kidney stones. Shock waves are sent directly to the stone to break
it up into tiny pieces that can pass through the urinary system. There are
two different machines used for this painless procedure. One
requires the patient to be semi-submerged in a tub of water; the other is
done with the patient lying on a table. Either way, earphones are required
because every time a shock wave is generated, a loud sound is created. If
the shock waves do not break it down small enough, one of the other
procedures will follow.
Percutaneous nephrolithomy
(tunnel surgery): In this surgical procedure, a small cut is made in
the back and a tunnel is made through the skin to the stone, and the stone
is removed.
Ureteroscopic stone
removal: If the stone is located in one of the ureters (tubes
that connect the kidneys to the bladder), it may be removed with an ureteroscope,
a tube-shaped device with a camera that is inserted into the ureter. It is
also equipped with a cage that retrieves the stone.
Parathyroid surgery: The
thyroid gland, located beneath the Adam’s apple, has four corners.
At each corner, a parathyroid gland is located. When one of these
glands becomes overactive, too much calcium is created, causing calcium
stones. This is often because a parathyroid gland has a benign
(non-cancerous) tumor. In this procedure, the tumor is removed.