Treatment for kidney stones

Many kidney stones eventually pass through the urinary tract on their own within 24 to 48 hours, with ample fluid intake. Anti-inflammatory drug, and narcotics may be used for pain control when over-the-counter pain-control medications are not effective. Intravenous pain medications can be given when nausea and vomiting are present. There are no proven home remedies to dissolve kidney stones, home treatment may be considered for patients who have a known history of kidney stones. Since most kidney stones, given time, will pass through the ureter to the bladder on their own, treatment is directed toward control of symptoms. Home care in this case includes the consumption of plenty of fluids. Advil may be used as an anti-inflammatory medication if there is no contraindication to its use. If further pain medication is needed, stronger narcotic pain medications may be recommended. There are several factors which influence the ability to pass a stone. These include the size of the person, prior stone passage, prostate enlargement, pregnancy, and the size of the stone. A 4 mm stone has an 80% chance of passage while a 5 mm stone has a 20% chance. Stones larger than 9 mm-10 mm rarely pass without specific treatment. Some medications have been used to increase the passage rates of kidney stones. These include calcium channel blockers such as Adalat, Procardia, Afeditab, Nifediac and alpha blockers such as tamsulsoin. These drugs may be prescribed to some people who have stones that do not rapidly pass through the urinary tract. For kidney stones that do not pass on their own, a procedure called lithotripsy is often used. In this procedure, shock waves are used to break up a large stone into smaller pieces that can then pass through the urinary system.