Most kidney stones are small enough to pass out in your pee and can be treated at home.
Treatment from a GP
Even small kidney stones can be painful. The pain usually stops when the stones pass out in your pee.
To ease your symptoms, your GP may recommend:
- drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day - up to 3 litres (5.2 pints) a day
- painkillers, such as ibuprofen
- anti-sickness medicine
- alpha blockers - medicines to relax the muscles so the stones can pass
If your kidney stones cause severe pain, your GP may send you to hospital for tests and treatment.
Passing kidney stones
The time it takes for kidney stones to pass can vary.
To help your stones pass:
Do
-
drink enough fluid so that your pee is pale
-
drink water - but other drinks such as tea and coffee count
-
add fresh lemon juice to your water
-
avoid fizzy drinks
Don't
-
do not eat too much salt
Treating large kidney stones
If your kidney stones are too big to pass in your pee, you may need other treatment or surgery.
The main types of treatment are:
- shockwave lithotripsy (SWL)
- ureteroscopy
- percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL)
The type you have depends on the size and location of your stones.
Shock wave lithotripsy (SWL)
Shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) uses sound waves to break a stone into smaller pieces.
SWL can be uncomfortable. You usually have a painkiller before the procedure starts.
Your doctor does an ultrasound to find out where a kidney stone is. Then they use a machine to send shock waves to the stone.
You may need more than 1 session of SWL to treat your kidney stones.
Ureteroscopy
Ureteroscopy is a type of endoscopy. Your surgeon looks inside your body using a ureteroscope. This is a long, thin, flexible tube with a tiny light and camera at one end.
You have a general anaesthetic (you're asleep) for the surgery.
During a ureteroscopy, your surgeon will:
- put the ureteroscope into your urethra (the tube that brings pee out of your body)
- gently push the ureteroscope up into your bladder and the ureter (the tube that connects your bladder and kidneys)
- remove the stone through your urethra
They may use laser energy to break the stone into small pieces so it can pass out in your pee.
Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL)
During percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) your surgeon looks inside your body using a nephroscope. This is a long, thin, flexible tube with a tiny light and camera at one end.
You have a general anaesthetic (you're asleep) for the surgery.
Your surgeon will:
- make a small cut (incision) in your back
- pass the nephroscope through the cut and into your kidney
- remove the kidney stone or break it into smaller pieces using a laser or special tool
Complications of kidney stones treatment
Complications depend on the type of treatment you have and the size and position of your stones.
Your surgeon should explain possible complications to you before you have a procedure. Ask them about the benefits and risks of the procedure.
Complications can include:
- sepsis
- a blocked ureter caused by stone fragments
- an injury to the ureter
- a urinary tract infection (UTI)
- bleeding during surgery
- pain
Content supplied by the NHS and adapted for Ireland by the HSE
