A kidney stone is a hard, crystalline material that forms in the kidney or urinary tract from the build-up of calcium and two other chemicals, oxalate and phosphate. Kidney stones are either eliminated from the body through the urine or surgically removed. Kidney stones can appear repeatedly over a lifetime, according to CureResearch.com. Many treatment options exist to relieve a person from chronic kidney stones.
Lifestyle Changes
Approximately 85 percent of kidney stones pass through the urine on their own without the need for medical intervention, according to MayoClinic.com. Patients should increase their water intake to approximately 2 to 3 quarts per day until the stone passes. Along with increased fluid intake, patients should decrease the consumption of foods with added vitamin D and to limit the use of calcium-based antacids and calcium supplements, according to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC).
Medications
Medications reduce the pain associated with passing kidney stones. Medications to control the concentration of acid and alkali in the urine may also be prescribed along with diuretics, which increase the frequency of urination. Acetohydroxamic acid (AHA) is a type of antibiotic medication that may be prescribed to prevent infections that stimulate kidney stone growth.
Kidney Stone Removal Surgery
There are three basic types of surgery to remove kidney stones. ESWL, extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, is the most common non-invasive procedure in which a special device that emits a shock wave is precisely aimed at the kidney stone to break it into smaller pieces so it can be passed through the urine. Percutaneous nephrolithotomy is a more invasive surgery in which the surgeon removes kidney stones through small incisions in the back using a nephroscope. Uteroscope stone removal surgery is another non-invasive surgery for kidney stones located in the lower regions of the ureter. A small instrument is fed up to the ureter through the urethra and bladder to deliver small shock waves to break up the stones, in a similar manner to ESWL.
Parathyroid Surgery
In some cases, kidney stones are a result of an overactive parathyroid gland. Identified as four nodules embedded in the thyroid gland in the neck, the parathyroid gland secretes a hormone called the parathyroid hormone (PTH) which increases calcium concentrations in the blood and thus excretion in the urine. This can lead to the build-up of kidney stones and thus removal of the parathyroid gland or a tumor on the gland can alleviate chronic kidney stones.
