Quick answer: Small kidney stones often pass on their own with fluids and pain relief, although this may take a few weeks. A stone is more likely to need treatment if it is large, blocks the flow of urine, causes severe pain, or comes with infection. Get urgent care if you have severe pain, fever or chills, repeated vomiting, or you cannot pass urine. The treatment depends on the stone's size, location and type.
Emirates European Hospital provides kidney stone treatment in Sharjah, including diagnosis, medical care and prevention planning. Having a kidney stone does not automatically mean you need a procedure. The first step is to find out where the stone is, how big it is, and whether it is causing a blockage or an infection.
What Are Kidney Stones?
Kidney stones are hard lumps that form in the kidneys from chemicals and minerals in urine, such as calcium, oxalate and phosphorus. These substances normally cause no problems at low levels. When there is too much of them, or too little urine to dilute them, they can form stones. A stone can stay in the kidney or travel into the ureter, the tube that carries urine to the bladder.
What Are the Symptoms of Kidney Stones?
Small stones may cause no symptoms, and you may pass them without noticing. Larger stones can be very painful. Symptoms can include:
- Sharp pain in your back, side or lower abdomen that may spread to the groin
- Pain that comes and goes in waves
- Pink, red or brown urine
- Pain when passing urine, or needing to go often
- Cloudy or bad-smelling urine
- Nausea or vomiting
When Do Kidney Stone Symptoms Need Urgent Care?
Go to the nearest emergency department or seek urgent medical help if you have stone symptoms along with any of these:
- Severe pain that does not settle
- Fever, chills, or feeling hot, cold or shivery
- Vomiting that stops you from keeping fluids down
- Inability to pass urine, or passing only a small amount
A blocked urinary tract with signs of infection is a particular concern, so do not wait to see if the stone passes. Pain in this area can also have other serious causes, so sudden severe pain should be checked.
Do All Kidney Stones Need Treatment?
No. Doctors base treatment on a stone's size, location and type, along with your symptoms. Small stones may pass through the urinary tract without a procedure. Treatment is more likely to be needed when a stone:
- Is too large to pass on its own
- Blocks the urinary tract
- Causes severe or repeated pain
- Is linked with infection or repeated urinary infections
- Is causing bleeding, or does not move over time
A stone that is causing a blockage should not be left without follow-up. Delayed treatment can lead to infection or to kidney damage or scarring.
How Are Kidney Stones Diagnosed?
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms, medical conditions, medicines, diet, and any family history of stones. Tests help confirm the diagnosis and plan your care.
Urine and blood tests
A urine test can show blood, signs of infection, and minerals that form stones. Blood tests can show high levels of certain minerals and help identify the type of stone.
Imaging
A CT scan can show the size and location of a stone, and it is often used for adults with severe pain. Ultrasound may be preferred during pregnancy and for children. An abdominal X-ray can also show some stones, but not all of them are visible on X-ray.
What Helps If a Small Stone Is Passing?
If your doctor expects the stone to pass on its own, the plan may include:
- Drinking plenty of fluids, if you are able to
- Pain relief recommended by your doctor
- Anti-sickness medicine if you feel unwell
- Medicines that can help the stone pass
- Catching the stone in a special container so it can be tested
Keep your follow-up appointments. Pain going away does not prove that a stone has passed, and a follow-up scan may be needed to confirm it.
What Are the Treatment Options for Larger Stones?
The right choice depends on the stone and on your health. Emirates European Hospital offers kidney stone procedures in Sharjah, including ureteroscopy and lithotripsy.
Shock wave treatment
Shock wave treatment for urinary stones, also called lithotripsy, uses focused shock waves from outside the body to break a stone into smaller pieces. The pieces can then pass in your urine. It is an outpatient treatment for selected kidney or ureteric stones. Your urologist considers the size, location and number of stones before deciding whether it suits you. Passing the fragments can cause some discomfort, and more than one session may be needed.
Ureteroscopy
A thin scope is passed through the urethra and bladder into the ureter or kidney. Once the stone is found, the doctor can remove it or break it into smaller pieces. No cut is made in the skin. This is done in hospital with anesthesia, and you can typically go home the same day.
Percutaneous nephrolithotomy
For larger kidney stones, a thin viewing tool is passed into the kidney through a small cut in the back to remove the stone. A laser may be used to break the stone up first. This is done in hospital with anesthesia, and you may need to stay for several days.
What Is a Ureteral Stent?
After some procedures, the urologist may leave a thin, flexible tube called a stent in the urinary tract. It helps urine flow or helps a stone pass. Your doctor will explain how long it needs to stay and how it will be removed. Do not miss your appointment to have it taken out.
Why Did I Get a Kidney Stone?
Several factors make stones more likely:
- Not drinking enough fluid
- A diet high in salt or animal protein
- Being overweight
- Having a close family member with kidney stones
- Frequent kidney or urine infections
- Medical conditions that raise certain chemicals in the body, such as metabolic syndrome
- Certain medicines
Hot weather matters too. If you live, work or exercise in the heat, you may lose more fluid through sweat and need to drink more. Do not stop any medicine without speaking to your doctor.
Can Kidney Stones Come Back?
Yes. Kidney stones often come back, especially if the cause is not found and treated. Your doctor may send a stone to the lab to find out what type it is. You may also be asked to collect your urine for 24 hours so that the volume and mineral levels can be measured. These results guide your prevention plan.
How Can I Prevent Kidney Stones?
Drink enough fluid
Drinking enough liquid, mainly water, is the most important step. For most adults who have had a stone, this is often around 2.5 to 3 liters of water a day, and more in hot weather. Dark urine is a sign you need to drink more. Ask your doctor first if you have kidney failure, heart problems, or have been told to limit fluids.
Change your diet based on your stone type
- Reduce salt: Sodium in canned, packaged and fast foods raises your risk.
- Limit animal protein if advised: This includes meat, eggs, fish and dairy. You still need enough protein, and beans and lentils can help.
- Keep enough calcium in your diet: Do not cut out calcium unless your doctor tells you to. In the right amounts, it can help prevent some stones.
- Ask about oxalate: If you have had calcium oxalate stones, you may be advised to limit foods such as nuts, peanuts, spinach and wheat bran.
- Consider lemon: Adding fresh lemon juice to your water may help.
The right advice depends on the type of stone, so do not make major diet changes without speaking to your doctor.
Medicines
Your doctor may prescribe medicine to help prevent certain types of stones. Which medicine you need, and for how long, depends on your stone type and your test results.
Questions to Ask Your Urologist
- How big is my stone, and where is it?
- Is it likely to pass on its own?
- Is it blocking my kidney?
- Which symptoms mean I should come back straight away?
- Which treatment suits my stone, and what are the risks?
- Do I need a stent?
- What type of stone is it, and how can I prevent another one?
Kidney Stone Care at Emirates European Hospital
Dr. Ahmad Mohamad Altunji is a Urologist at Emirates European Hospital with more than 30 years of experience. The EEH profile includes the management of kidney and ureteral stones, including endoscopic treatment and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy.
If you have had stone pain, blood in your urine, or a stone found on a scan, you can book an appointment at Emirates European Hospital or call 06 561 9444. The right next step may be monitoring, medicine, a procedure, or a plan to prevent new stones. If you have severe pain, fever, or cannot pass urine, go to the emergency department instead.
This article provides general educational information and does not replace a medical examination, diagnostic tests, or personalized medical advice.
