HealthInfo Canterbury
Treating kidney stones
If you've been diagnosed with a stone in your kidney or ureter (the tube draining urine from the kidney), your treatment will depend on the size of your stone.
If the stone is small, it will most likely pass out by itself. But if it's large, you may need surgery or another treatment to remove it. Generally, it's better if the stone passes on its own as this avoids the need for any surgery.
Treatment to help small stones pass
If you have a small stone, you won't normally need to go to hospital. Your doctor will advise you to drink a lot of water. As well, they may prescribe:
- pain relief
- medicine such as doxazosin to help the muscles of your ureter relax so the stone can pass through.
Your doctor may ask you to sieve your urine and give then any stone you pass so it can be tested to find out what type of stone it is.
Treatment to remove larger stones
If your stones are very large, they can be removed by:
- shock waves to help break up the stones so you can pass them
- surgery, which includes ureteroscopy and percutaneous nephrolithotomy.
If you get severe pain that doesn't respond to pain relief tablets or you have vomiting or a fever, go to your doctor, an after-hours doctor, or the Emergency Department.
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Endorsed by clinical director, Nephrology Department, Canterbury DHB. Last reviewed November 2019.
SourcesReview key: HIKIS-19017
