Kidney Stone Treatment in Tucson, AZ

Your urinary tract is full of narrow tubes designed to transport liquid waste out of your body. But when a stone forms and urine gets blocked, the resulting pain can be unbearable. While kidney stones aren’t always dangerous and can often pass through on their own, frequent stones or stones that cause blockages can be a cause for concern.

According to kidney.org, kidney stones are very common, with over 500,000 patients visiting emergency departments annually and a one in ten chance of developing a kidney stone in one’s lifetime. Our urologist in Tucson, Arizona have extensive training and experience in treating kidney stones using the most advanced and state-of-the-art technology.

Don’t suffer in silence, contact our urology clinic in Tucson at (520) 348-7900 or request an appointment through our secure online form.

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What are Kidney Stones?

According to Mayo Clinic kidney stones are created when high levels of minerals and salt exist in the kidneys, they can form a clump of matter known as a kidney stone. These stones may stay inside of the kidney, where they will not cause any further harm.

The real problem begins when these kidney stones enter the ureter and block urine from traveling through the ureter to the bladder. This blockage caused by the kidney stone becomes very painful and can require surgery if they do not pass on their own.

What are the Symptoms of Kidney Stones?

Kidney stones are small, hard deposits that form inside the kidneys and can cause significant pain and discomfort as they pass through the urinary tract. In addition to pain, patients with kidney stones may experience a range of other symptoms, including:

• Persistent need to urinate
• Cloudy or discolored urine, usually pink, red, or brown
• Foul-smelling urine
• Frequent urination
• Fever or chills typically occurs when there is an infection present
• Pain radiating from the lower abdomen and groin, or in the back below the ribs
• Nausea and vomiting
• Painful urination

What are the Types of Kidney Stones?

Not all kidney stones are the same. The exact type of kidney stone will determine the course of action used to treat the patient’s kidney stones. These types of kidney stones include:

• Calcium stones (most common)
• Uric acid stones
• Struvite stones
• Cystine stones

How are kidney stones treated?

As previously mentioned, the method of treatment will depend on the particular type of kidney stone that has developed, but many of these stones are treated in similar ways.

Most often, kidney stones will come to pass. You can assist this process by drinking lots of water and taking over-the-counter pain medicine to help with pain management. It can take about four to six weeks for a kidney stone to pass. This may seem like a long amount of time, but it is safe to continue trying to pass a kidney stone on your own so long as the pain is manageable and there are no present signs of an infection. If you suspect that there may be an infection spreading within your kidney or ureter, you should seek medical attention immediately.

Some medications have been shown to help increase the body’s ability to pass kidney stones. Such medications work by relaxing the ureter, which provides the kidney stone with ample room to make its way to the bladder, where it will finally exit the body through urination. Prescription-strength painkillers may also be necessary depending on each case.

If the pain becomes too great, or if the ureter becomes completely blocked and begins to affect kidney function, surgery may be necessary. Modern technology allows for this surgery to be minimally invasive with minor recovery time. The most common types of treatment options for kidney stones include:

• Ureteroscopy (URS)
• Shock Wave Lithotripsy (SWL)
• Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL)