Kidney stones: relief now, and a plan for later

Signs of a stone

• Waves of pain in your flank or back that may travel down toward the groin
• Pain or burning with urination
• Urine that looks pink, red or brown, or turns cloudy or smells bad
• Feeling sick to your stomach or throwing up
• Needing to go often, in small amounts
• Fever and chills, which can mean infection

Some stones cause little or no pain, so imaging still matters.

How stones are treated

Imaging and lab work happen in our offices, and one of our urologists decides with you whether a stone can pass with management or needs a procedure. Options at Advanced Urology include:

• Shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), which breaks stones from outside the body while you are asleep under anesthesia
• Ureteroscopy with laser, using a thin scope with no incisions; a temporary stent is often placed
• Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) for very large stones, done in a hospital

Every procedure has risks and benefits that we review with you.

Why stones form

Common contributors include not drinking enough, eating lots of salt or protein, low citrate in the urine, conditions such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes and gout, parathyroid problems, and some bowel conditions or surgeries. If you’ve had stones before, ask about an evaluation to lower the chance of more.

More stone guides

A Snellville kidney stone guide is in the works. Advanced Urology’s stone page has more detail now.