Kidney Stone Treatment Methods You Should Know About

Kidney stones (also referred to as renal calculi) are a common but very painful condition. Kidney stone treatment might be carried out in a number of different ways, which ranges from the stones passing through the system with no aid to open surgery. It is possible for these stones to dissolve, but that is very rare. A couple of the most critical issues that physicians consider are both the size of the stone and its location.

Some doctors and patients simply opt to do nothing at all. When the kidney stones are very small they might pass easily without the need of treatment. The doctor might suggest increasing water intake. Pain medicine might be used to relieve some of the pain. Yet another reason that this strategy (or lack thereof) might be a plausible choice is when the stones are not causing any kind of pain, infection, or blockage.

Lithotripsy (also known as extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy) is actually a kidney stone treatment that makes use of potent sound waves to penetrate through the body and break up the stones. Typically x-rays or even an ultrasound is needed to find the stones. Lithotripsy itself will be non-invasive and painless, however sedative drugs or local anesthesia could be employed to prevent pain while the stone particles pass through the system. This is often an outpatient treatment. Some stones might not completely break down, and may need further treatment in the future.

During an endoscopic treatment a device with a small camera, known as an endoscope, is put in the bladder, and this works as a guide for the doctor to evaluate the location and dimensions of the stones. The endoscope might be moved through the bladder, urethra, and even as far as the kidneys themselves. When the size of a stone is thought suitable, laser treatment might be employed to break the stone into fragments or the whole stone could be removed using the scope.

Yet another kidney stone treatment option is referred to as a percutaneous nephrolithotomy. This method is normally not the favored treatment considering that a full recovery might require one to two weeks, but it is often successful for extracting stones that are located inside of the kidneys. The doctor will need to make an incision near the site of the stone. Then a hollow tube and probe combination is placed into the kidney. The stones are then extracted through the tube.

Open surgery is hardly ever used to take out the stones, generally only when other methods have failed. The surgeon will make an incision to directly remove the stones from the kidneys. A catheter is inserted to drain urine for the kidney until such time as it heals.

Prevention is perhaps the very best type of treatment for potential kidney stones, considering that recurrences aren't uncommon. Drinking a good amount of water, making healthy modifications in food options, or certain kinds of medication could aid in stopping these stones.