Relief, treatment, and prevention for kidney stones.
Health Orlando Urology provides comprehensive kidney stone care for patients experiencing severe pain, recurrent stones, urinary symptoms, or a known stone diagnosis.
Kidney stones can be extremely painful and may require prompt evaluation. Dr. Sarat Sabharwal and the Health Orlando team can help treat existing stones and create a prevention plan to reduce your risk of future stone formation.
What are kidney stones?
Kidney stones are hard deposits made from minerals and salts that form inside the kidneys or urinary tract. Some stones pass on their own, while others can become stuck, block urine flow, cause severe pain, or lead to infection.
The right treatment depends on the stone’s size, location, composition, symptoms, infection risk, and whether kidney function is affected.
Kidney stone symptoms
Kidney stone symptoms can appear suddenly and may change as the stone moves through the urinary tract.
Common symptoms
- Severe pain in the side, back, or flank
- Pain that radiates toward the lower abdomen or groin
- Blood in the urine
- Burning or pain with urination
- Frequent urination or urgency
- Nausea or vomiting
Urgent warning signs
- Fever or chills
- Uncontrolled pain
- Persistent vomiting
- Difficulty urinating
- Known kidney blockage
- Symptoms with a single kidney or kidney disease
Causes and risk factors
Kidney stones can form when the urine contains more crystal-forming substances than the fluid in the urine can dilute. Some patients develop one stone, while others are prone to recurrent stones.
Dehydration
Not drinking enough fluid can concentrate the urine, making it easier for minerals to crystallize and form stones.
Hyperparathyroidism
Overactive parathyroid glands can raise calcium levels and increase the risk of calcium-based kidney stones.
Metabolic disorders
Certain metabolic conditions can affect calcium, oxalate, citrate, uric acid, or other urinary factors that influence stone formation.
Family history
Having a family history of stones can increase your risk, especially when combined with diet, low fluid intake, or metabolic risk factors.
Sodium and dietary patterns
High sodium intake, certain dietary patterns, and low fluid intake may contribute to stone formation in some patients.
Stone type matters
Calcium oxalate, uric acid, struvite, and cystine stones may require different prevention strategies.
How kidney stones are diagnosed
Diagnosis may involve imaging, urine testing, blood work, and a review of your symptoms. If you have passed a stone, stone analysis can help guide prevention.
Symptom and history review
Your urologist will ask about pain location, urinary symptoms, prior stones, diet, fluid intake, medications, family history, and medical conditions.
Urine and blood testing
Testing can look for blood, infection, kidney function, calcium levels, uric acid, or other metabolic concerns.
Imaging
CT scan, ultrasound, or X-ray may help identify stone size, location, number of stones, blockage, and treatment urgency.
Stone analysis and prevention workup
For recurrent stones, stone analysis and 24-hour urine testing may help identify why stones are forming and how to prevent them.
Kidney stone treatment options
Some stones can be managed with observation, hydration, pain control, and medication. Others require a procedure to break up or remove the stone.
Observation
Small stones may pass on their own if there is no infection, kidney damage, severe obstruction, or uncontrolled pain.
Pain and nausea control
Pain relievers and nausea medication may help manage symptoms while a stone passes or while treatment is being planned.
Alpha blockers
Certain prescription medications may relax the ureter and help some stones pass more easily, depending on stone size and location.
Citrate therapy
Potassium citrate or similar therapy may be used for certain stone types, such as some uric acid stones, or for patients with low urinary citrate.
Stone removal procedures
If a stone is too large, painful, infected, blocked, or unlikely to pass, your urologist may recommend a procedure.
Prevention planning
Preventing future stones may involve fluid goals, dietary changes, metabolic testing, and medication when appropriate.
Procedures for kidney stones
The best procedure depends on stone size, location, density, anatomy, infection risk, symptoms, and kidney function.
Breaking stones with sound waves
Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, often called ESWL or SWL, uses focused sound waves to break certain stones into smaller pieces that may pass through the urinary tract.
Scope and laser treatment
Ureteroscopy uses a thin scope passed through the urinary tract. Small stones may be removed with a basket, while larger stones may be fragmented with a laser.
Percutaneous nephrolithotomy
PCNL is often used for larger or complex kidney stones. A small passage is made through the skin into the kidney so instruments can remove or break up the stone.
Choosing the right approach
Your physician will recommend a treatment based on the stone’s size, location, composition, your anatomy, and your overall health.
Preventing future kidney stones
If you have had one kidney stone, prevention matters. A personalized plan can lower your risk of future stones and help protect kidney health.
Increase urine volume
Drinking enough fluid is one of the most important prevention steps. Your physician may recommend a daily urine output goal.
Reduce sodium when appropriate
Lower sodium intake may help reduce calcium in the urine and support kidney stone prevention for many patients.
Analyze stone type
Stone analysis and 24-hour urine testing can help identify whether calcium, uric acid, citrate, oxalate, or other factors are involved.
Targeted prevention
Some patients benefit from medications that reduce stone risk based on stone type and metabolic testing results.
Kidney stones FAQ
Can kidney stones pass on their own?
Some small kidney stones can pass without a procedure, but this depends on stone size, location, symptoms, infection risk, and whether urine flow is blocked.
When should I seek urgent care for a kidney stone?
Seek urgent care if you have fever, chills, uncontrolled pain, persistent vomiting, trouble urinating, symptoms of infection, or known kidney blockage.
What causes kidney stones?
Kidney stones may be caused by low fluid intake, dehydration, family history, metabolic disorders, hyperparathyroidism, diet, certain medications, recurrent infections, or other medical conditions.
What is shock wave lithotripsy?
Shock wave lithotripsy uses sound waves from outside the body to break certain stones into smaller pieces that can pass through the urinary tract.
What is ureteroscopy?
Ureteroscopy uses a small scope passed through the urinary tract to locate stones. The stone may be removed with a basket or broken apart with a laser.
When is percutaneous nephrolithotomy used?
Percutaneous nephrolithotomy, or PCNL, is often used for larger, complex, or hard-to-treat kidney stones, especially when less invasive approaches are not ideal.
How can I prevent kidney stones?
Prevention may include drinking more fluid, reducing sodium, reviewing diet, analyzing stone type, completing 24-hour urine testing, and using medication when appropriate.
Medical references
This page is educational and does not replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified physician. These references support the medical information above:
Need relief from kidney stone pain?
Health Orlando Urology provides kidney stone evaluation, treatment, and prevention planning for patients in Kissimmee, Orlando, and Central Florida.