Anonymous

How can you break kidney stones without surgery?

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Arthur Wright Profile
Arthur Wright answered

As having experienced hundreds of these damn things over the past 8 years or so and have had surgery a couple times when they were too large to pass.  A lot of this depends of what the stone is made of.  There are 2 types; Calcium and Urich Acid.  Calcium ones can be broken up by using Ultrasound sometimes but not so with Urich ones.  I get more info from Nurses and Xray Techs than DRs on this and they say coke and lots of it as Coke can make them and help break them too.  

Otherwise you may just have to pass it but once vomiting starts, because of extreme pain, head for ER.  Most can pass stones up to 4-5MM but anything larger needs surgery.  I can now pass up to 9MM and don't even feel them go thru anymore.  Blood in the urine is a good sign the stone is slowly moving but they don't pass quickly as last time I had to go to ER for a enormous one.  It took almost 3 weeks after ER visit to pass but it broke up on way out.  If you have recurring stones like I do, the DRs can put your on Allupurinol,  a 50s med that helps dissolve Urich Acid which also causes Gout.  So most of what I've learned is drink and drink to create back pressure to blow that baby right on out. And  I've also have heard a couple beers a week will also help prevent them, but sweet iced tea is kidney stones best friend.  

I really sympathize with you here and pray for a quick passing.  Also Diladid is great for pain but has to be given intravenously at ER.  Good luck and Merry Christmas.  Another point that may help -  I've been told is when youre sleeping, to lay on the opposite side of where stone is

Dan Mitroi Profile
Dan Mitroi , Consultant, answered

Cost of Lithotripsy Procedure

Cost of a lithotripsy procedure in the U.S. Depends on the type of stone being treated, it’s size and location. Because it’s so specialized, a lithotripsy procedure in the U.S. Can cost an average of $17,000, though you can find some for about $5,000, depending on the size of the stone. In India, you can receive the same procedure for about $1,300 and in Singapore for about $2,650.

Patients who opt for lithotripsy should be aware that there is an approximately fifty-percent chance that stones will reappear within five years.


Sara Lewis Profile
Sara Lewis answered

Kidney stones are small hard lumps which can form due to metabolic issues linked to the filtration or absorption of various electrolytes.

Although they are called "stones" they are more like crystals, but either way - they can cause extreme pain! This is known as "renal colic".

Treatments not involving surgery:

Sometimes kidney stones require no treatment as such, and smaller stones will pass naturally with hydration, with the only medication required some painkillers or anti-inflammatory.

If the stones are related to, or have caused an infection, you will also need to take antibiotics.

If your stone is too large to pass naturally, a non-surgical treatment available is Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL), whereby shockwaves are sent through your abdomen in order to break up the stone into smaller crystals that will be small enough to pass in your urine.

Prevention:

Of course the best form of treatment is prevention! The most effective way to prevent kidney stones is to increase hydration, with the patient drinking somewhere between 2 or 3 litres of water a day.

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