Kidney Stones
Kidney stones: which treatment is right for me?
What is the short answer?
There is no single answer.
It depends on stone size, location, hardness, and your health.
What else should I know?
Many small stones pass on their own with medicine and fluids.
Shock wave lithotripsy can break some stones without any scope.
Ureteroscopy uses a laser through a thin scope and handles most stones.
Large stones may need a small keyhole procedure through the back.
We also look at why you form stones, so you have fewer in the future.
Time to get it looked at?
Get checked if a stone hasn't passed in a few weeks, or pain keeps coming back.
What happens at a visit?
Our Conyers Clinic, 1366 Wellbrook Circle Suite B, Conyers, GA 30012, is where Newton County families meet our urologists; any procedure is planned at our Snellville Clinic & Surgery Center.
How do our urologists approach this?
Our urologists choose a stone treatment by looking at the stone itself and at you. We consider its size, where it sits and how hard it is, along with your health and how much the pain is affecting your life. Small stones often get a chance to pass with fluids and medicine. When they don’t, we explain shock wave lithotripsy, ureteroscopy and, for large stones, PCNL, done through a small opening in the back. Once the stone is handled, we focus on preventing the next one.
What happens at a visit?
Newton County families meet us at our Conyers Clinic. Bring your scan report or images and a list of your medicines. If you catch a stone, bring that too. We’ll check your urine, review the imaging with you and explain the plan.
How should I prepare?
Bring your scan report or images, any stone you’ve caught and your medicine list, especially blood thinners. If you’ve had stones before, tell us what was done and how recovery went, since that helps us plan this time.
When should I call?
Call us if pain keeps returning, the stone is still there after several weeks, or you’re having trouble keeping fluids down. With fever, go to the ER first.
Is there a video on this?
Dr. Marc Greenstein, who sees patients in Conyers, explains stone treatments in these videos.
- Watch: Kidney Stone Treatments by Urologist Dr. Greenstein What the video covers: A webinar on kidney stone treatments with Dr. Greenstein.
- Watch: Dr. Greenstein on Kidney Stones What the video covers: Dr. Greenstein talks about kidney stones.
What should I read next?
Information here is general and not personal medical advice. Other Newton County articles