How to treat bladder stones?

Written by Zeng Zhong
Urology
Updated on May 01, 2025
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For the treatment of bladder stones, a treatment plan should be developed based on the specific size of the stones. For smaller stones with a diameter of less than 1.5 centimeters, extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy can be used. After the treatment, patients should go home, drink plenty of water, and urinate frequently to help expel the stones from the bladder. For larger bladder stones, surgical treatment is required. Currently, surgeries are minimally invasive; there are no incisions on the abdomen. The procedure mainly involves inserting a ureteroscope through the urethra, then locating and breaking the stones using a holmium laser and flushing them out of the body.

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Written by Zeng Zhong
Urology
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How big must a bladder stone be to require surgery?

Bladder stones are a common type of urinary system calculus. Generally, stones with a diameter greater than 1.5 centimeters require surgical treatment. Currently, minimally invasive surgery is performed, which is transurethral ureteroscopic holmium laser lithotripsy. This involves inserting a ureteroscope through the urethra into the bladder, locating the bladder stones under direct vision, and using a holmium laser fiber to fragment them, while simultaneously extracting the broken pieces.

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Written by Zou De Bo
Urology
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Diet for Patients with Bladder Stones

The components of bladder stones are mostly calcium oxalate stones. Dietary precautions include: First, drink more water to increase urine output, promote the expulsion of stones, and prevent further enlargement of the stones. Second, you can drink water with lemon slices to increase the citric acid content in the urine, inhibit the formation of stones, and prevent recurrence. Third, you can consume oranges and other citrus fruits to alkalinize the urine and prevent the stones from growing larger. Fourth, it is recommended to maintain a balanced diet to keep the concentration of various substances in the body stable and in proper proportion, avoiding an increase in the concentration of certain stone-forming substances in the urine.

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Written by Zeng Zhong
Urology
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How to treat bladder stones?

For the treatment of bladder stones, a treatment plan should be developed based on the specific size of the stones. For smaller stones with a diameter of less than 1.5 centimeters, extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy can be used. After the treatment, patients should go home, drink plenty of water, and urinate frequently to help expel the stones from the bladder. For larger bladder stones, surgical treatment is required. Currently, surgeries are minimally invasive; there are no incisions on the abdomen. The procedure mainly involves inserting a ureteroscope through the urethra, then locating and breaking the stones using a holmium laser and flushing them out of the body.

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Written by Guan Hai Fang
Urology
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Bladder stone symptoms in women

The most common symptom of bladder stones is pain, often episodic pain in the lower back or upper abdomen, severe and unbearable. The pain can travel along the ureter, radiating to the lateral abdomen and can also involve the labia. Then, there may also be hematuria; usually, it is microscopic hematuria, but a few patients may have gross hematuria, meaning that the urine visibly turns red during urination. Additionally, there may be symptoms of nausea and vomiting, possibly due to the stones causing mucosal ruptures in the kidney, ureter, or bladder, leading to inflammation. Furthermore, the stones might press on the intrinsic nerves of the ureter and intestines, causing nausea and vomiting, often accompanying renal colic. Another typical sign is bladder irritation, characterized by symptoms such as frequent urination, urgent urination, and painful urination.

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Written by Zeng Zhong
Urology
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Can bladder stones cause frequent and urgent urination?

Patients with bladder stones may experience frequent and urgent urination, and some may also experience painful urination or even blood in the urine. This is primarily due to the movement of stones within the bladder, which irritates the mucous membrane. It is essential to treat bladder stones promptly. Treatment can be sought at the urology department of local hospitals, where the choice of treatment method depends on the size of the stones. Options include extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy or surgical treatment.