When the stone sits in the kidney, it rarely causes problems, but should it fall into the ureter, it acts like a dam. The kidney continues to function and make urine, which backs up behind the stone, stretching the kidney. This pressure build up causes the pain of a kidney stone, but it also helps push the stone along the course of the ureter. When the stone enters the bladder, the obstruction in the ureter is relieved and the symptoms of a kidney stone are resolved.



Drinking more fluids. You need to drink enough water to keep your urine clear, about 8 to 10 glasses a day. Try to drink 2 glasses of water every 2 hours while you are awake. If you have kidney, heart, or liver disease and are on fluid restrictions, talk with your doctor before increasing your fluid intake.

Men are especially likely to develop kidney stones, and whites are more often affected than blacks. The prevalence of kidney stones begins to rise when men reach their 40s, and it continues to climb into their 70s. People who have already had more than one kidney stone are prone to develop more stones. A family history of kidney stones is also a risk factor for the development of kidney stones.

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). This is a commonly used procedure for treating kidney stones. It uses shock waves to break the stones into tiny pieces that are then passed in your urine. In some cases, you may be partially submerged in a tub of water during the procedure. In others, you may lie on a soft cushion. You'll generally require sedation or light anesthesia due to moderate pain caused by the shock waves. A loud noise is produced each time a shock wave is generated, and you'll wear earphones to protect your hearing.

Kidney stones can usually be treated without surgery. Your doctor, or a kidney specialist, may check the chemical composition of the urine by asking you to collect your urine for a full 24 hours. Then, adjustments in your diet and fluid intake may be prescribed to help stop formation of stones. Water intake is the most important step in helping to reduce kidney stone formation. Drinking up to three quarts of fluids a day will cause the urine to be very dilute, and chemicals will have less of a chance crystallizing together and forming stones.

Cystine stones are yellow and crystalline. They develop if you have high levels of cystine in your urine, which happens if you have a hereditary disorder called cystinuria. Only one in a hundred kidney stones are caused by this condition. Cystine stones tend to develop earlier in life than other kidney stones, usually between the ages of 10 and 30 years.

Ureteroscopy procedure is performed when the stone is located in the ureter. The urologist slips an instrument called a ureteroscope through the urethra (the tube through which the urine passes) into the bladder and up to the ureter. The urologist can then remove the stone with a device that resembles a cage or use ultrasound shock waves to pulverize the stone.

A simple and most important lifestyle change to prevent stones is to drink more liquids?water is best. Someone who tends to form stones should try to drink enough liquids throughout the day to produce at least 2 quarts of urine in every 24-hour period.