Kidney stones can be treated in various ways. Depending on the size, location, and type of kidney stone you are suffering from, a healthcare professional will decide on the right course of treatment. As a result, the treatment varies from one patient to another, and there is no one best treatment.
In this article, we will discuss the various types of kidney stone treatments. To identify the best treatment for kidney stones, you must properly discuss each of your kidney stone symptoms, medical history, and other concerns with the doctor.
Treatment for Small Kidney Stones
Small kidney stones generally have fewer symptoms. They don’t demand invasive treatment. Moreover, it is possible to pass a small stone on your own by following the given treatment options:
1. Drinking liquids:
Dehydration is one of the causes of kidney stones. If you drink around 1.8 to 3.6 liters of water each day, it will help to keep your urine diluted and prevent the development of stones. Drinking an adequate amount of fluids, preferably water, produces nearly clear or clear urine. However, make sure you consult your doctor regarding this kidney stone removal remedy.
2. Pain relievers:
It is sometimes discomforting to pass a stone small in size during urination. The doctor can suggest pain relievers to help you relieve the pain.
3.Medical Remedy:
Some doctors prescribe medications to help you pass your kidney stone. These medications, referred to as an alpha-blocker, eases the ureter muscles, enabling you to pass the kidney stone faster and with lesser discomfort.
Treatment for Large Kidney Stones
Some kidney stones are too large. Their size doesn’t allow for their easy passing. Moreover, some of these kidney stones also cause bleeding, ongoing urinary tract infections, or kidney damage. As a result, the doctor advises more invasive treatment. The medical procedures performed to treat these stones include:
Use of sound waves for breaking stones:
Your doctor can recommend you to undergo a procedure known as Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy. The procedure makes use of sound waves to generate strong vibrations. These vibrations break the stones into smaller pieces, as a result of which, it is easier to pass them in the urine. It takes around 45 to 60 minutes for the completion of the procedure. You may feel a little bit of discomfort or pain during the procedure. To avoid this, you may be under light anesthesia or sedation to ensure that you are comfortable.
There are chances of discomfort, bruising on the back or abdomen, bleeding around the kidney and other adjoining organs during ESWL. These are effects of the stone fragments passing via the urinary tract.
Surgical removal of the kidney stone:
Depending on the size and location of your kidney stone, the doctor can choose to perform percutaneous nephrolithotomy. This surgical procedure is to remove a kidney stone. It involves the insertion of small telescopes and instruments through a small incision in your back.
Before beginning the surgical procedure, the doctor will administer general anesthesia so that you do not feel any pain or discomfort. You will need to stay for one or two days in the hospital until recovery. The need for percutaneous nephrolithotomy arises in cases where ESWL is unsuccessful.
Removal of stones with a ureteroscope:
The doctor can use a ureteroscope for the removal of a smaller stone in your ureter or kidney. This thin, lighted tube has a camera attached to it. It is inserted into your ureter, passing it via the urethra and bladder.
After the doctor locates the stone, he can use special tools for trapping the stone or breaking it into tiny fragments that can pass through the urine. During this procedure, the ureter can swell. By inserting a tube, known as a stent, the doctor relieves the swelling and promotes healing. There may be a need for general or local anesthesia at the time of this procedure for kidney stone removal.
Parathyroid gland surgery:
Calcium phosphate stones are the result of overactive parathyroid glands. These are located just below your Adam’s apple. Overproduction of the parathyroid hormone by these glands can increase your calcium levels. As a result, it can form kidney stones.
Glands produce more quantities of the parathyroid hormone when a small benign tumor is developed in either of the parathyroid glands. It could also be because of another medical condition. This surgery focuses on the removal of the growth from the gland as a kidney stone treatment. The doctor can also suggest treatment plans to cure the condition that causes the excessive production of the hormone by your parathyroid gland.
Read More: When To Get Operated For Kidney Stones
Medications
Medications help to restrict the quantity of salts and minerals in your urine. They can help people who develop particular types of kidney stones. The doctor will suggest a course of medications based on the type of kidney stones existing in your body.
What to expect from the kidney stone doctor?
If you are ready to visit the best doctor for a kidney stone healhtin your city, you must know what you need to discuss with him or her. You must share all your symptoms with the doctor so that the right decision is made for your kidney stone treatment. The doctor would typically want to know when your symptoms began, their severity, are they continuous or occasional, and if there is anything that improves or worsens your symptoms.
