How Long Does It Take To Pass A Kidney Stone
The amount of time it can take for you to pass a kidney stone is different from anothers. A stone thats smaller than 4 mm may pass within one to two weeks. A stone thats larger than 4 mm could take about two to three weeks to completely pass.
Once the stone reaches the bladder, it typically passes within a few days, but may take longer, especially in an older man with a large prostate. However, pain may subside even if the stone is still in the ureter, so its important to follow up with your healthcare provider if you dont pass the stone within four to six weeks.
Alternate Remedies For Kidney Stones
Increasingly, more people are interested in attempting at-home treatments for kidney stones to decrease the use of medicines, procedures and surgeries. A number of alternative remedies have been acknowledged for the treatment of kidney stones. We will present these below and discuss their likelihood of success.
1. Lemon Juice and Olive Oil
Sounds awful, doesnt it? Some people do claim success in mixing a concoction of lemon juice and olive oil to help dissolve kidney stones as a home remedy. Proponents of this method claim that at the first notice of symptoms, mix five ounces of olive oil with five ounces of lemon juice. Drink this combination straight and then drink a glass of water. Repeat the process again in the late afternoon. Be sure to drink plenty of water as well through the day as well as extra lemon juice, if possible. Continue this treatment regimen for several days until the stone passes. It is thought that the lemon juice could help break down the kidney stones and the olive oil would aid in lubrication to pass the stone more easily. Extra-virgin olive oil is thought to be the best olive oil ingredient to use because it is the thickest and healthiest.
Warning: Lemons are very acidic and can destroy tooth enamel and contribute to heartburn or ulcers.
Our patient surveying indicates some success in a very limited number of kidney stone patients. We give it 2 out of 5 stars.
2. Apple Cider Vinegar
3. Coke and Asparagus
We give this remedy 1 out of 5 stars.
Natural Remedies To Fight Kidney Stones At Home
Kidney stones are a common health problem.
Passing these stones can be incredibly painful, and unfortunately, people who have experienced kidney stones are more likely to get them again (
However, there are a few things you can do to reduce this risk.
This article explains what kidney stones are and outlines 8 dietary ways to fight them.
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What Are Kidney Stones
Kidney stones are pieces of minerals that form in the kidneys. They form when the normal balance of water, salts, minerals, and other substances found in your urine changes. The type of kidney stones you get depends on how this balance changes. Most kidney stones are calcium-typethey form when the calcium levels in your urine change.
Kidney stones may stay in the kidney or travel out of the body through the urinary tract.
When moving through the urinary tract, a stone may cause great pain and other symptoms. Kidney stones can cause long-term damage to the urinary tract if they keep growing or if they block the flow of urine from the kidneys.
Is It Urgent That The Patient Be Treated With A Procedure Like This
lf the stone does not pass on its own, it will require treatment. lf you have an infection, severe pain, or if your kidney function is threatened, your doctors will act quickly. lf you only have one kidney or have had a kidney transplant, your stone will be treated more quickly. lf you have large stones or stones in both kidneys, your doctors will not wait to treat you.
Also Check: What Herbs Help The Kidneys
Kidney Stone Surgery Recovery
Our urology experts will be there for you throughout your recovery to monitor your progress and ensure you are in good health.
We may prescribe medication like tamsulosin to relax and open your ureter for a period after surgery. Tamsulosin can make it easier for stones or stone fragments to pass. We may also have you use a strainer to collect stone pieces if they pass in your urine so we can test them.
If we placed a temporary stent in your ureter during surgery, we will remove it during an office visit two to 10 days after your procedure.
What Can The Patient Expect After Treatment
The recovery time is usually fairly brief. After treatment, the patient can get up to walk almost at once, Many people can fully resume daily activities within one to two days. Special diets are not required, but drinking plenty of water helps the stone fragments pass. For several weeks, you may pass stone fragments.
How Can I Tell If I Have A Kidney Stone
Routine screening for kidney stones common but not recommended for all people.
Kidney stones can be detected using imaging such as X-rays, ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI. The best imaging currently available for kidney stone detection is a CT scan.
If you have crystals in your urine, that does not mean that you have a kidney stone. Crystals in the urine are common. If you have crystals in your urine along with other symptoms of kidney stones, you should see a doctor for an exam and imaging.
What Are The Most Common Types Of Kidney Stones
The most common type of kidney stone is a calcium oxalate stone. This type happens when calcium and oxalate combine in your urine. It can happen when you have high quantities of oxalate, low amounts of calcium and arent drinking enough fluids.
Stones caused by uric acid are also fairly common. These come from a natural substance called purine, which is a byproduct of animal proteins .
How Do I Get Rid Of A Large Kidney Stone
A large kidney stone cannot be passed through the urinary tract in the way that smaller ones usually can, and eliminating them usually requires invasive procedures like nephroscopic surgery. This may either be treated as an inpatient in the hospital or as an outpatient in a doctor’s office. Other procedures to remove a large kidney stone include ureterscopic removal or extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy.
While small kidney stones often produce no symptoms at all, a large kidney stone may cause severe discomfort. This happens when the stone moves and blocks urine flow. This causes a sharp pain or severe cramp in the back on the side where the stone is located. Blood may appear in the urine as a result of this blockage. If fever or chills occur, this may be a sign of a kidney stone infection, which can be treated with antibiotics.
Percutaneous nephrolithotomy is the kidney stone surgery that is often performed to remove a large kidney stone. Under general anesthesia, an incision is made into the kidney with a nephroscope, and the stone is removed. Patients will usually have to stay in the hospital for a day or two, and complete recovery from this surgery may take a few weeks.
How Does Laser Stone Surgery Work
The surgery is minimally invasive and requires no incisions on your body. Once you are asleep, a small lighted instrument is placed into your urethra and bladder to access your ureter and kidney.
Once the stone is seen, a laser fiber is used to transmit Holmium energy to break up your kidney stones. The surgeon removes some pieces through the urethra with a small basket, and smaller pieces can be passed later with urination. The surgeon may also use a high-powered holmium laser with high-frequency emissions that “dust” the stones into a fine powder. You can then pass the fine particles in your urine after surgery. An even more efficient way of transmitting the holmium laser is by modulating the pulse using the Moses effect, which may result in more efficient stone dusting or fragmentation.
The surgeon will likely insert a tube called a stent between the kidney and urethra. This promotes healing and lets small stone fragments pass more easily. Most importantly, this stent allows your kidney to drain during the healing process. The stent is removed about 1 week after surgery. The length of surgery is generally under 1 hour, depending on the size and number of your kidney stones. Use of the dusting technique combined with the Moses effect may decrease the need to remove stones with a basket, thereby minimizing the need to use a stent.
Robotic Assisted Laparoscopic Nephrolithotomy
A robotic assisted laparoscopic nephrolithotomy can be another option for patients with a large stone, says Ramin. For this procedure, surgeons make small incisions in the abdomen through which they insert a laparoscope, a lighted tube with a camera at its tip, and tiny surgical tools to access and open up the kidneys to retrieve the stone. These surgical tools are controlled by the surgeon using a computer console in the operating room.
Ramin recommends robotic laparoscopic nephrolithotomy over open nephrolithotomy, an operation that requires a larger incision in the side of the body.;The tiny incisions used with robotic surgery help patients heal quicker and experience less bleeding than with an open procedure, he explains. In addition, with robotic surgery, patients can generally can go home after one or two days in the hospital and go back to work within a week.
What To Expect At Home
It is normal to have a small amount of blood in your urine for a few days to a few weeks after this procedure.
You may have pain and nausea when the stone pieces pass. This can happen soon after treatment and may last for 4 to 8 weeks.
You may have some bruising on your back or side where the stone was treated if sound waves were used. You may also have some pain over the treatment area.
Can A Large Kidney Stone Cause An Injury
Your risk of injury from a kidney stone can go up based on the size and location of the stone. A larger stone could get stuck in a ureter, causing pressure to build up. This can lead to renal failure and, in the worst-case scenario, you could lose your kidney. The chance of passing a 1 cm stone is less than 10%, and stones larger than 1 cm typically dont pass.
Sometimes Surgery Is The Best Option To Get Rid Of A Kidney Stone
Most urologists recommend that stones come out surgically within six weeks because of the risk of the ureter becoming blocked, explains Clayman. This can cause pain, problems with urination, changes in the amount of urine made, and blood in the urine.
If left untreated, a stone that is blocking the flow of urine can lead to complications, such as permanent kidney damage, recurrenturinary tract infections , and bleeding, says Dr. Marchalik.
Notably, patients who have a UTI at the same time as a kidney stone can develop , a life-threatening condition. ;If this happens, doctors usually place a tube in the ureter or kidney to drain infected urine, says Seth K. Bechis, MD, a urologist at UC San Diego Health in California. In addition, antibiotics are given to treat the infection.
Fortunately, a range of minimally invasive treatments for removing or breaking up kidney stones are available to help prevent such complications from arising.
How To Prepare For Lithotripsy
Its important to tell your doctor about any prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, or supplements you take. Certain drugs, such as aspirin , ibuprofen , and warfarin or other blood thinners, can interfere with your bloods ability to clot properly.
Your doctor will probably ask you to stop taking these medications well before the procedure. However, dont stop taking drugs youve been prescribed unless your doctor tells you to.
Some people have lithotripsy under local anesthesia, which numbs the area to prevent pain. However, most people have the procedure under general anesthesia, which puts them to sleep during the procedure. If youre going to be under general anesthesia, your doctor may tell you not to drink or eat anything for at least six hours before the procedure.
If youre having ESWL under general anesthesia, plan for a friend or family member to drive you home after the procedure. General anesthesia may make you drowsy after lithotripsy, so you shouldnt drive until the effects have fully worn off.
What Matters Most To You
Your personal feelings are just as important as the medical facts. Think about what matters most to you in this decision, and show how you feel about the following statements.
Reasons to have lithotripsy for kidney stones
Reasons to wait for the stone to pass on its own
I want to increase the chance of my stone passing sooner.
I’m not concerned with how soon my stone passes.
I’m worried about the pain from passing a kidney stone.
I can use medicine to control the pain.
I’m not bothered by having a medical procedure.
I don’t want to have a medical procedure.
I know that the procedure has risks, but I’m not concerned about them.
I am concerned about the risks of the procedure.
What Other Treatment Choices For Kidney Stones Are Available
Drug treatment is being studied with such drugs as such as calcium channel blockers , steroids and alpha-adrenergic blockers. The idea is that the stone might be dissolved with medication. Other drugs such as K-citrate, thiazides or allopurinol are prescribed to prevent new stones from developing. Most doctors agree that more medical trials are needed.
When SWL is not appropriate or doesn’t work, some people will need ureteroscopy, a technique that goes through the bladder to reach the stone or percutaneous nephrolithotomy, a technique that goes through a small incision created in your back. Some people, in extremely rare cases, even need open surgery, a technique that involves a larger incision in your abdomen. The medical terms for kidney stone surgery are ureterolithotomy or nephrolithotomy.
Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy Or Percutaneous Nephrolithotripsy
If your stone is large or lithotripsy doesn’t break it up enough, this surgery is an option. PCNL uses a small tube to reach the stone and break it up with high-frequency sound waves.
You will be given something so that you wonât be awake during this surgery. Your surgeon will make a small cut in your back or side and place a thin scope into the hole.
The surgery can be done in one of two ways:
Nephrolithotomy: Your surgeon removes the stone through a tube
Nephrolithotripsy: Your surgeon uses sound waves or a laser to break up the stone and then vacuums up the pieces with a suction machine.
The surgery takes 20 to 45 minutes. You’ll typically have to stay in the hospital for a day or two afterward. Usually, a stent will have to stay in your kidney for a few days to help urine drain.
Your doctor might do an X-ray or ultrasound a few weeks later to see whether any parts of the stone are left. They might also send the stone fragments to a lab to find out what they’re made of.
Risks from this surgery include:
- Infection
- Damage to the bladder, bowel, ureter, kidney, or liver
Urinary System Parts And Their Functions:
- Two kidneys. A pair of purplish-brown organs located below the ribs toward the middle of the back. Their function is to:
- Remove liquid waste from the blood in the form of urine
- Keep a stable balance of salts and other substances in the blood
- Produce erythropoietin, a hormone that aids the formation of red blood cells
- Regulate blood pressure
The kidneys remove urea from the blood through tiny filtering units called nephrons. Each nephron consists of a ball formed of small blood capillaries, called a glomerulus, and a small tube called a renal tubule. Urea, together with water and other waste substances, forms the urine as it passes through the nephrons and down the renal tubules of the kidney.
Some Kidney Stones Can Be Passed On Their Own
Small kidney stones can pass without intervention. Those that are as small as a grain of sand likely wont cause pain as they pass out of the body, while larger stones can become stuck in the ureter, the tube that passes urine from the kidney to the bladder.
Sometimes these types of small stones will pass within a few days, explains Ralph V. Clayman, MD,professor in the department of urology at the University of California in Irvine. Others take longer, though if they are going to pass on their own, most will do so within two to three weeks.
Pain can be severe at first and may require narcotics for relief, says Dr. Clayman.;But as the stone moves through the urinary tract, pain can often be managed using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication, he says.;Drinking water can help to pass the stone.
With guidance and supervision of your doctor oftentimes people can stay at home while passing a kidney stone on their own.
How Are Children Treated For Kidney Stones
Most childrens kidney stones can be treated with the shock wave lithotripsy , a completely non-invasive procedure. Your child is placed under anesthesia and sound waves of specific frequencies are focused on the stones to shatter them into fragments small enough to be easily passed during urination.
When Is Shock Wave Lithotripsy Needed
Shock wave lithotripsy usually works best to treat smaller stones inside the kidney or upper part of the ureter . Your provider will consider a stones size, your medical problems and your body structure before deciding whats best for you.
Providers often use shock wave lithotripsy to treat kidney stones that:
- Are too large to pass on their own .
- Block urine flow.
- Are very painful.
How Successful Are These Treatments
In short dubious at best. There have been many reports of people using these natural methods, but the efficacy is unsubstantiated. Some people report success, but none of these treatments are based in scientific fact. For every anecdotal success story posted online, there are hundreds more stories of failures . So, what natural remedies DO work?
4. Lab Grade Chanca Piedra
Lab grade chanca piedra has shown high rates of success in kidney stone treatment. This herbal remedy breaks down and prevents the development of new kidney stones. The clinical benefits of all-natural Chanca Piedra are;related to ureteral relaxation and to a putative reduction of the excretion of urinary crystallization promoters such as calcium. It first grabbed the attention of the scientific community in a 2002 study on rodents which demonstrated it slowed or halted kidney stone growth. Further studies indicated lab grade Chanca Piedra actually interferes with the process that would normally cause stones to form.
Professor Dr. Nestor Schor speaking about his research on lab grade Chanca Piedra:
Treatment with Phyllanthus niruri strongly inhibited the growth of the stones and reduced the number of stones
These results show that Phyllanthus niruri has an inhibitory effect on crystal growth
What Questions Should I Ask My Healthcare Provider
- Do I have a kidney stone or is there another reason for my symptoms?
- What type of kidney stone do I have?
- What size is my kidney stone?
- Where is my kidney stone located?
- How many kidney stones do I have?
- Do I need treatment or will I be able to pass the kidney stone?
- Should I be tested for kidney disease?
- What changes should I make to my diet?
- What type of procedure should I have to get rid of the stones?
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Kidney stones can be frustrating at best and agonizingly painful at the worst. To stop your situation from getting worse, you should be evaluated by a healthcare provider as soon as possible. The pain can get severe, and surgery might be necessary. Remember: dont skip your prescriptions, drink lots of water and follow any dietary guidelines. Also, remember that kidney stones are a temporary condition. They wont bother you forever.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 05/03/2021.
References
When Does A Kidney Stone Need To Be Treated
Most kidney stones pass on their own. But sometimes, a kidney stone becomes too big to move through the urinary tract. Pain during a kidney stone attack is typically due to a stone getting stuck in the ureter and blocking drainage of urine from the kidney. Kidney stones may cause health issues, such as kidney damage, blood in the urine or a severe infection. In these cases, treatment can help you safely get rid of kidney stones and feel better.
How To Get Rid Of Kidney Stones
This article was co-authored by Chris M. Matsko, MD. Dr. Chris M. Matsko is a retired physician based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With over 25 years of medical research experience, Dr. Matsko was awarded the Pittsburgh Cornell University Leadership Award for Excellence. He holds a BS in Nutritional Science from Cornell University and an MD from the Temple University School of Medicine in 2007. Dr. Matsko earned a Research Writing Certification from the American Medical Writers Association in 2016 and a Medical Writing & Editing Certification from the University of Chicago in 2017.There are 27 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article has 18 testimonials from our readers, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 1,703,618 times.
Kidney stones, also known as renal lithiasis or calculi, occur when small mineral crystals form in the kidney. Kidney stones are painful, but you may be able to treat them yourself. However if the pain persists, make sure to see your doctor
How Can I Prevent Kidney Stones
There are several ways to decrease your risk of kidney stones, including:
- Drink water. Drink at least six to eight 8-ounce glasses every day . Staying hydrated helps you urinate more often, which helps flush away the buildup of the substances that cause kidney stones. If you sweat a lot, be sure to drink even more.
- Limit salt. Eat less sodium. You may want to connect with a dietician for help with planning what foods you eat.
- Lose weight. If youre overweight, try to lose some pounds. Talk to your healthcare provider about an ideal weight.
- Take prescriptions. Your healthcare provider may prescribe some medications that help prevent kidney stones. The type of medication may depend on the type of stones you get.
Treating Small Kidney Stones
Small kidney stones may cause pain until you pass them, which usually takes 1 or 2 days.
A GP may recommend a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug to help with pain.
To ease your symptoms, a GP might also recommend:
- drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day
- anti-sickness medicine
- alpha-blockers
You might be advised to drink up to 3 litres of fluid throughout the day, every day, until the stones have cleared.
To help your stones pass:
- drink water, but drinks like tea and coffee also count
- add fresh lemon juice to your water
- avoid fizzy drinks
- do not eat too much salt
Make sure you’re drinking enough fluid. If your pee is dark, it means you’re not drinking enough. Your pee should be pale in colour.
You may be advised to continue drinking this much fluid to prevent new stones forming.
If your kidney stones are causing severe pain, your GP may send you to hospital for tests and treatment.