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Kidney Stones (cont.)

For the first-time kidney stone patient, there should be an attempt to catch the stone by straining the urine, so that it can be sent for analysis. The stone may be so tiny that it may not be recognized. While most stones are made of calcium oxalate, stones can also consist of other chemicals. It may be possible to prevent future stone formation by taking medications. For those whose stone disease is recurrent and the kind of stone is known, this instruction is often omitted.

Drinking plenty of water will help push the stone down the ureter to the bladder and hasten its elimination.

A follow-up visit with a urologist may be arranged one to two weeks after the initial visit, allowing the stone to pass on its own.

Patients should call their physician or return to the emergency department if the pain medication is not working to control the pain, if there is persistent vomiting, or if a fever occurs.