Urinary tract stone symptoms

Written by Wang Shuai
Urology
Updated on May 08, 2025
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The symptoms of urethral stones and the size of the stones, as well as their position within the urethra, are directly related. If the urethral stone is relatively small, patients may not experience any discomfort symptoms. By drinking more water and urinating frequently, the stone can be expelled from the body. If the stone is large and causes obstruction in the urethra, it will lead to noticeable symptoms such as urinary obstruction, frequent urination, urgency, and pain during urination. If the stone damages the urethral mucosa, there may also be symptoms of hematuria. If the stone completely blocks the urethra, it will cause urinary retention, and the patient will have significant difficulty urinating. For larger urethral stones, it is necessary to conduct timely ultrasound, CT, and other examinations to determine the specific location of the stone. Appropriate surgical treatments are then selected to crush and expel the stone from the body.

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Written by Wang Shuai
Urology
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Can urethral stones be broken up?

Urethral stones can be treated with lithotripsy, but it is necessary to understand the specific location and size of the stones. If the urethral stones are relatively small, there is no need for lithotripsy. By drinking more water and urinating frequently, most patients can expel the stones out of the body through the flushing action of urine. Lithotripsy is only considered when the stones are relatively large and become lodged in the urethra, causing urinary retention and other issues. The common methods used include the use of urethroscopes and cystoscopes, and the stones are crushed under a holmium laser. This procedure requires anesthesia and is considered minimally invasive surgery with relatively small trauma and quick recovery. Generally, patients can be discharged from the hospital three to five days after surgery.

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Written by Wang Shuai
Urology
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How to alleviate urethral stone pain?

Urethral calculi refer to the condition where stones get stuck in the urethra causing pain symptoms, and in severe cases, completely block the urethra leading to urinary retention. For this condition, common pain medications are ineffective, and it is necessary to promptly visit the hospital's urology department for a surgical procedure to remove the stones, restore the smooth flow of urination, and minimize damage to the urethra by the stones. Typically, a ureteroscope or cystoscope can be used for holmium laser lithotripsy, or the stones can first be pushed back into the bladder and then fragmented inside the bladder, flushing the crushed stones out of the body. Only after the stones are expelled, the pain symptoms can be fundamentally relieved.

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Written by Wang Shuai
Urology
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Do urethral stones require hospitalization?

After suffering from urethral stones, whether hospitalization is necessary depends first on examinations such as color Doppler ultrasound and CT scans to determine the exact location and size of the stones within the urethra. If the stones are relatively small, such as about five millimeters, hospitalization is not necessary. By drinking more water and urinating frequently, the flushing action of the urine can expel the stones from the body. However, if the stones are larger and become lodged in the urethra, causing significant hematuria or even urinary retention, it is advisable to hospitalize immediately and proceed with surgery. Using a ureteroscope with holmium laser lithotripsy, the stones can be shattered and expelled from the body.

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Written by Sun Chun
Urology
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How to check for urethral stones

Urethral stone examinations are primarily divided into the following areas: Firstly, the physical examination provided by the clinical doctor which checks for urethral stones can be categorized into anterior and posterior urethral stones. For anterior urethral stones, one can feel a hard nodule inside the urethra with their hand. Combined with specific symptoms, such as sudden stabbing pain during urination or a sudden inability to urinate, and if there is a history of urinary system stones, then urethral stones might be considered. As for posterior urethral stones, they cannot be felt externally; if they are lodged at the prostate, a doctor might insert a finger into the rectum to touch the area around the prostate. If a hard nodule is felt upon pressing, then a posterior urethral stone might be considered. Secondly, a more accurate clinical exam is the plain film radiography of the urinary system, commonly known as X-rays. Generally, most stones contain calcium, and in such cases, the X-ray can reveal a hard nodule in either the posterior or anterior urethra, which can be diagnosed as urethral stones. Thirdly, the urinary system's CT scans can sometimes detect radiolucent stones, such as uric acid stones. It can also identify conditions like kidney hydronephrosis in the bladder and stones in other parts of the urinary system. If all examinations, including auxiliary checks, suggest the presence of urethral stones, treatment depends on the situation. If the anterior urethral stone is not large, stone retrieval may be performed. Posterior urethral stones are generally treated like bladder stones; after pushing them into the bladder using a cystoscope, the stones are broken down either by lithotripsy or laser.

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Written by Wang Shuai
Urology
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The difference between urethral stones and kidney stones.

Urethral stones and kidney stones are both types of urinary system stones. The main difference between the two is due to their location within the urinary system: kidney stones are located in the kidneys, while urethral stones are located in the urethra, which is their fundamental difference. The main symptoms of urethral stones include irritation of the urethra, leading to frequent urination, urgent urination, painful urination, and even blood in the urine or urinary retention. For urethral stones, if the stones are relatively small, they can be flushed out of the body by drinking more water and urinating frequently; however, if the stones are larger, surgical treatment is required. In the case of larger kidney stones, they can cause water retention in the kidneys and even infections, and it is advised to have surgery for these stones as soon as possible.