KIDNEY STONES
About 85 percent of the time, kidney stones are small enough to pass during urination. This occurs usually within two to three days of the start of symptoms. In some cases a stone may take weeks to months to pass, although pain usually goes away before that. The best treatment for these small stones is to drink plenty of water, stay physically active and wait to pass the stone. Our providers may prescribe painkillers to help alleviate discomfort associated with passing a stone. They may also prescribe medicine to relax the ureter and facilitate the passage of the stone.
If it seems likely that a patient can pass a stone without procedure, the provider may ask the patient to urinate through a strainer, so the stone can be retrieved and analyzed for its mineral composition. Urologists use this information to better tailor follow-up treatment and suggest preventive measures.
Watchful waiting is not used for patients who have a fever, urinary tract infection, pain that cannot be controlled by pain medication, or persistent nausea and vomiting.
Watchful Waiting Instructions:

•    Increase your water intake. Drink at least 3 quarts per day
•    Stay physically active.
•    Medical expulsion therapy. Alpha blockers (such as tamsulosin) can relax muscles in the urinary tract, helping kidney stones pass.
•    Use pain medication as recommended or prescribed by your doctor
•    Strain your urine and save any fragments for analysis.
•    If you develop nausea or vomiting call our office immediately.
•    If fever or chills develop or symptoms (pain) worsen, seek immediate medical attention. Call our main office number, 728-3366. If it is after hours you will be directed to the on-call physician.  If this occurs, you may also go to the emergency room.

The most common stones are calcium oxalate. Diet and lifestyle will help prevent these stones from forming. We recommend:

•    Plenty of fluids. (Choose water, lemon juice. Avoid grapefruit, apple, and cranberry juice.)
•    Limit the amount of protein and salt in the diet.
•    Increase fiber.
•    Limit the amount of fats in the diet, particularly in people who have short bowel syndrome.
•    Balance normal calcium intake with potassium- and phosphate-rich foods.
•    Limit the amount of calcium in the diet (only in people who have genetic abnormalities that cause high intestinal absorption of calcium). 
•    Limit the amount of foods high in oxalates (only in patients with rare intestinal conditions).