Are kidney stones severe?

Written by Zhou Qi

Nephrology

Updated on February 21, 2025

00:00

00:00

The severity of kidney stones depends on the size of the stones and their location. For example, stones within the kidney parenchyma, if not large and not moving, generally do not cause much trouble.

However, if the stones block the area of the renal pelvis and calyces, or even move downward to block the ureter, causing the urine produced by the kidneys to not be excreted smoothly, it will cause the patient to experience renal colic. This type of pain is very intense, radiating to the back and causing abdominal pain, as well as pain in the perineal area. Patients often may also experience fever and other clinical symptoms. Prolonged obstruction of the urinary system can lead to renal failure, which is quite dangerous.

Other Voices

home-news-image

Written by Zeng Zhong

Urology

45sec

home-news-image

Do you need to be hospitalized for kidney stones?

Patients with kidney stones need to decide on a treatment plan based on the size of the stones, which determines whether hospitalization is necessary. For kidney stones smaller than 1.5 cm, extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy can be utilized, allowing the patient to avoid hospitalization. After treatment, the patient can go home, where it is advised to engage in physical activity, drink plenty of water, and urinate frequently to facilitate the expulsion of the stones. A follow-up ultrasound of the urinary system should be conducted one week later at the hospital to monitor the status of the stone expulsion. If the stones are larger than 1.5 cm, surgical treatment is required, which necessitates hospitalization.

home-news-image

Written by Wu Ji

Nephrology

1min 56sec

home-news-image

How to treat polycystic kidney kidney stones

Patients with polycystic kidney disease who develop kidney stones should be treated the same as patients without polycystic kidney disease. It is encouraged for patients to drink more water. If the stones are symptomatic, treatments such as extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy or percutaneous nephrolithotomy may be considered. The main principles of treatment include managing renal colic, promoting stone expulsion, dissolving stones, or surgical interventions, as well as preventing recurrence. During a renal colic episode, it is primarily recommended to administer antispasmodic analgesics. Commonly used medications include scopolamine butylbromide and atropine, or combinations of atropine with pethidine or morphine. Expulsion therapy mainly involves drinking plenty of water, proper physical activity, and the use of some antispasmodic drugs to help expel the stones. Surgical treatment is aimed at patients with anuria and post-renal acute renal failure, or in cases where the stone diameter is larger than one centimeter, or if the expulsion therapy is ineffective, especially if there are still episodes of renal colic. Systemic metabolic disorders are an important cause of kidney stone formation, thus even after stones are cleared, recurrence is possible. Therefore, to prevent recurrence, it is advisable to ensure a daily urine output of 2000 to 2500 milliliters, avoid drinking tea and coffee as much as possible, adjust dietary habits, and treat systemic metabolic abnormalities, such as hypercalcemia, hyperuricemia, and cystinuria, among others.

home-news-image

Written by Wang Shuai

Urology

1min

home-news-image

What should not be eaten with kidney stones

Patients with kidney stones do not have absolute dietary prohibitions. However, it is advisable to consume less food high in calcium, oxalates, and purines. Foods high in purines are mainly found in seafood, animal offal, beer, and beverages. High-calcium foods are primarily found in soy products and dairy products, such as soy milk, tofu, and cow's milk. Foods high in oxalates include celery, spinach, etc. These foods can be consumed in moderation in daily life, but should not be used in large amounts over a long period to avoid further growth and increase of stones. It is also important to drink plenty of water, urinate frequently, and engage in appropriate physical exercise to effectively prevent the occurrence of kidney stones. Additionally, for patients who have already developed kidney stones, it is necessary to timely decide on conservative stone expulsion or surgical treatment based on the size of the stones.

home-news-image

Written by Guan Hai Fang

Urology

1min 9sec

home-news-image

Is it easy to treat kidney stones?

If kidney stones are treated using extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, the procedure depends on the size and location of the stones, among other factors. Whether the stones can be effectively expelled after the procedure also varies from person to person, but generally, it tends to be successful. Kidney stones are caused by the accumulation of crystalline substances in the kidneys, and there are many reasons for the formation of kidney stones, including diet, genetics, environment, occupation, and other factors. The specific cause can only be confirmed after the stone is removed for pathological analysis. Generally, when the stones are relatively small, such as less than 0.5 centimeters, it is advisable to drink more water and undergo some important auxiliary treatments. Under the guidance of a physician, medication can be used as needed. For stones measuring 0.5 to 2 centimeters, extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy is required to break the stones and then expel them. If the stone exceeds 2 centimeters, surgical treatment is generally necessary.

home-news-image

Written by Zhou Qi

Nephrology

43sec

home-news-image

Are kidney stones severe?

The severity of kidney stones depends on the size of the stones and their location. For example, stones within the kidney parenchyma, if not large and not moving, generally do not cause much trouble. However, if the stones block the area of the renal pelvis and calyces, or even move downward to block the ureter, causing the urine produced by the kidneys to not be excreted smoothly, it will cause the patient to experience renal colic. This type of pain is very intense, radiating to the back and causing abdominal pain, as well as pain in the perineal area. Patients often may also experience fever and other clinical symptoms. Prolonged obstruction of the urinary system can lead to renal failure, which is quite dangerous.