How Do You Get Kidney Stones Out All Your Options?

Passing a kidney stone is often described as the worst pain a person can feel. If you are reading this, you likely want to know one thing: how do you get a kidney stone out? The answer depends on the stone’s size and location. Small stones (under 5 mm) often pass on their own with water and pain relief. Larger stones may need medical procedures like shock wave lithotripsy, ureteroscopy, or surgery. Your doctor will choose the method based on what gives you the best chance with the least risk.

Will a Kidney Stone Pass on Its Own?

Most kidney stones do pass without a doctor reaching inside you. Research published in the Journal of Urology found that stones 4 mm or smaller pass on their own about 80% of the time. Stones between 5 mm and 7 mm have a lower chance, around 50% to 60%. Once a stone hits 8 mm or larger, the odds of spontaneous passage drop significantly.

The location matters just as much as the size. A stone sitting in the kidney itself has a harder time leaving than one already in the ureter. Stones near the bladder opening of the ureter pass more quickly. The key factor is time. Some stones take days. Others take weeks. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases states that most stones that will pass do so within 4 to 6 weeks.

If you have a small stone, your doctor will likely recommend a trial of passage. This means drinking plenty of water, taking over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen, and waiting. You may also get a medication called tamsulosin (Flomax). Some studies suggest it relaxes the ureter and helps stones move faster, though the evidence is mixed.

What Medications Help You Pass a Kidney Stone?

Tamsulosin is the most common drug prescribed to help stones pass. It is an alpha-blocker that relaxes the muscles in your ureter. When the tube relaxes, the stone has more room to move down. A large review in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews found that tamsulosin may help stones pass slightly faster and with less pain, but the benefit is modest for small stones.

Another drug called nifedipine is sometimes used. It is a calcium channel blocker that also relaxes smooth muscle. However, tamsulosin is preferred because it has fewer side effects. Neither drug dissolves the stone. They only help the passage process.

Pain management is a real part of treatment. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like naproxen or ibuprofen work better than opioids for kidney stone pain. A 2018 study in Academic Emergency Medicine showed NSAIDs provided superior pain relief with fewer side effects. Your doctor may also prescribe anti-nausea medication if vomiting occurs.

One important point: there is no medication that dissolves calcium stones, which make up about 80% of all kidney stones. Uric acid stones are the exception. If your stone is uric acid, your doctor may prescribe potassium citrate or sodium bicarbonate to raise urine pH and slowly dissolve the stone over weeks or months. This only works for uric acid stones, not calcium stones.

How Does Shock Wave Lithotripsy Break Up Stones?

Shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) is the most common non-invasive procedure for kidney stones. The machine sends focused sound waves through your skin and body tissue to break the stone into tiny pieces. Those pieces then pass in your urine over the next few days or weeks.

You are usually sedated or under light anesthesia during the procedure. It takes about 45 to 60 minutes. The success rate depends heavily on stone size and location. Stones in the kidney itself respond best. Stones in the lower ureter are harder to target. The American Urological Association reports that SWL clears stones completely in 50% to 80% of cases, depending on these factors.

SWL works best for stones under 2 cm in the kidney. Larger stones may need multiple sessions. The procedure has risks. You may have blood in your urine for a few days. Bruising on your back or abdomen is common. In rare cases, the shock waves can damage the kidney or surrounding organs. You cannot have SWL if you are pregnant, have a bleeding disorder, or take blood thinners.

One underappreciated fact: SWL does not work well for very hard stones like cystine stones or calcium oxalate monohydrate stones. Your doctor can sometimes predict stone hardness from a CT scan. If the stone is too dense, another method will work better.

What Is Ureteroscopy and How Does It Remove Stones?

Ureteroscopy is a procedure where a thin, flexible scope goes up through your urethra and bladder into your ureter. The doctor can see the stone directly. If the stone is small enough, they grab it with a tiny basket and pull it out. If it is larger, they use a laser to break it into dust or small fragments first.

This method works for stones anywhere in the ureter or kidney. It is especially useful for stones that failed SWL or are located in the lower ureter where SWL struggles. Success rates are high. A study in BJU International reported stone-free rates above 90% for stones under 2 cm.

During the procedure, which takes 30 to 90 minutes, you are under general anesthesia. Most people go home the same day. The doctor often places a small plastic tube called a stent in the ureter afterward. The stent keeps the ureter open and helps any remaining fragments pass. It can cause discomfort, frequent urination, and blood in the urine. The stent is removed in the office a few days later.

The main risk of ureteroscopy is injury to the ureter. Perforation or tearing is rare, occurring in less than 2% of cases according to the American Urological Association guidelines. Infection is also possible but uncommon with preventive antibiotics.

When Is Surgery Needed for Kidney Stones?

Surgery becomes necessary when other methods fail or the stone is too large to treat with SWL or ureteroscopy. The standard surgical approach is percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). This is for large stones, typically over 2 cm, or complex stones like staghorn calculi that fill multiple parts of the kidney.

PCNL involves making a small incision in your back. The doctor inserts a nephroscope directly into the kidney. They then break the stone using ultrasound, laser, or pneumatic energy and suction out the fragments. You are under general anesthesia, and the procedure takes 1 to 2 hours. Most people stay in the hospital for one to two nights.

The stone-free rate for PCNL is excellent. Research shows it clears 80% to 95% of stones completely. It is the gold standard for large stones. But it is also the most invasive option. Risks include bleeding, infection, and injury to surrounding organs like the lung or bowel. These complications are rare when performed by an experienced surgeon.

Open surgery for kidney stones is almost never done anymore. Less than 1% of cases require it. It is reserved for extreme situations where anatomy is abnormal or other methods have failed repeatedly.

How Do You Get Kidney Stones Out All Your Options: A Quick Comparison

What Home Remedies Actually Help Kidney Stones?

You will find many claims online about home remedies that dissolve kidney stones. Most are not backed by evidence. Drinking plenty of water is the one home remedy that clearly works. The goal is to produce at least 2 to 2.5 liters of urine daily. This dilutes the urine and helps small stones move. The CDC recommends this as the primary prevention strategy.

Lemon juice and apple cider vinegar are commonly suggested. The theory is that citric acid binds to calcium and prevents stone growth. Some small studies suggest lemonade therapy may raise urine citrate levels slightly. But there is no strong evidence that drinking lemon juice or vinegar passes an existing stone. It will not dissolve a calcium stone.

Certain herbal teas like chanca piedra (stone breaker) are popular in traditional medicine. A few small studies from Brazil and other countries suggest it may help relax the ureter. However, the evidence is weak and the quality of supplements varies wildly. The FDA does not regulate these products. Some people report passing stones after using it. Others experience no effect. As of 2026, there is no large clinical trial confirming its effectiveness.

Avoid high-dose vitamin C supplements. Your body converts excess vitamin C into oxalate, which can form stones. Also avoid cranberry supplements. They are often recommended for urinary tract health, but they concentrate oxalate and may actually increase stone risk in some people.

Common Misconceptions About Passing Kidney Stones

One widespread myth is that drinking milk causes kidney stones. The opposite is true. Dietary calcium actually binds to oxalate in your intestines and prevents it from reaching the kidneys. The National Kidney Foundation states that people with adequate calcium intake have lower stone risk. It is calcium supplements, not food calcium, that may increase risk when taken without food.

Another myth is that jumping or bouncing can dislodge a stone. Some online videos suggest riding roller coasters. A 2016 study from Michigan State University found that riding a specific roller coaster helped pass a single stone in one person. That is an anecdote, not evidence. There is no clinical research showing that physical jostling reliably moves stones. It can cause unnecessary pain.

People also believe that kidney stones are always painful. Some stones cause no symptoms at all. They are found accidentally on CT scans done for other reasons. These “silent stones” often do not need treatment. Doctors monitor them and only intervene if they grow, move, or cause pain.