Kidney stones are an aggregation of tiny crystals that can be found in the kidney or ureter, which is the tube that conducts urine from the kidney to the urinary bladder, reports The New York Times Health Guide. The crystals are formed from the substances that accumulate in the kidney. The most common symptom of kidney stones is severe flank pain that can radiate to the back. The most important risk factor for the formation of kidney stones is dehydration. Treatment for kidney stones is focused on removing the stone from the kidney or ureter.
Treatment for Small Stones
Small kidney stones that do not have very severe symptoms can be treated with water and over-the-counter common pain relievers, states the Mayo Clinic. Most kidney stones are small and usually pass without needing invasive treatment. Patients with these smaller stones should drink approximately two to three quarts, or 1.9 to 2.8 liters, per day in order to help flush the stone out of the urinary system. Doctors also prescribe mild pain relievers such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and naproxen sodium to help treat the pain caused by the kidney stones.
Shock Wave Lithotripsy
Shock wave lithotripsy, or SWL, is the most common treatment modality American doctors prescribe for kidney stones, according to the National Kidney Foundation. This type of treatment uses sound waves to fragment the kidney stones. These sound waves are sent from a special device and aimed towards the kidney. SWL is a non-surgical technique that breaks down the stone into a powder that can easily be passed through the urine. There is some pain associated with the procedure, even though there is no cutting involved, so patients will receive anesthesia. SWL works best on stones that are smaller than two centimeters. Stones of this size usually do not pass easily without SWL treatment. Sound wave treatment is not very effective in treating very large stones.
Removing the Stone Using a Scope
For larger stones in the kidney or ureter, doctors can use an ureteroscope, a thin tube with a camera on one end, to visualize the kidney stone, and then use special tools to remove it, reports the Mayo Clinic. A small opening is created in the kidney or ureter and the stone is removed from the organ. Patients need to be placed under anesthesia for this procedure, but using a scope leaves a much smaller scar then a more invasive surgery.
Nephrolithotomy
Some patients will have to go through a more extensive surgical procedure called a nephrolithotomy in order to have a kidney stone removed, according to The New York Times Health Guide. For this procedure, the surgeon makes a small incision on the patient's back and visualizes the kidney. Another small incision is made on the organ in order to remove the stone. After the stone is removed, the incisions are repaired. This surgery can leave a slightly larger scar, but it very effective in removing even the largest stones.
