Kidney stones are often described as one of the most painful conditions in the human experience. As the crystals travel through your urinary tract, they irritate your kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra at every inch of their journey. Kidney stones range in size, but larger stones cause more pain and increase your risk of complications like blocked ureters or urethra.
Our board-certified urologist, Alex Lesani, MD, has over 12 years of experience in treating kidney stones. Under his guidance, we offer state-of-the-art treatments, including extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), to help you pass your kidney stones quickly and with as little discomfort as possible.
When you have large kidney stones, they might need a little help to get out of your body. ESWL uses sound waves, similar to those used in an ultrasound, to break medium to large kidney stones into smaller pieces that can move through your urinary tract without causing such severe symptoms.
ESWL is noninvasive and takes about 45 minutes. We provide anesthesia to ensure you stay comfortable throughout the treatment. In some cases, Dr. Lesani needs to insert a catheter and stents to hold the narrow tubing of your urinary tract open and allow debris created by the ESWL to exit your body.
You can usually get back to your regular activities within a day or two of ESWL treatment. You don’t need to follow a special diet, although you should drink plenty of filtered water to help flush out your kidneys and urinary tract.
Kidney stones are tiny crystallized mineral deposits that form in your kidneys. Your kidneys filter waste products out of your blood, including extra minerals like calcium, uric acid, and magnesium ammonium phosphate. However, if you have too much of these substances in your blood or if you’re frequently dehydrated, instead of harmlessly passing out of your body in your urine, the minerals build up and form crystal deposits in your kidneys. Sometimes these deposits are small enough to pass through your urinary tract unnoticed, but as the size of the stones increases, your chances of experiencing pain and other symptoms get higher.
Aside from extraordinary pain in your back, abdomen, and groin, kidney stones cause other distressing symptoms like:
If you think you have kidney stones, contact us to schedule a consultation with Dr. Lesani to get the treatment you need as quickly as possible.
We provide comprehensive exams and testing to identify the best treatment for your kidney stones. Dr. Lesani offers a variety of treatments ranging from medication to ureteroscope and parathyroid surgery to treat kidney stones, relieve your symptoms, and restore your health.
Despite the cutting-edge treatments, prevention is the best treatment for kidney stones. You can reduce your risk of painful kidney stones by drinking plenty of water and adjust your diet to include less animal protein, sodium, and oxalate-rich foods. Dr. Lesani can provide personalized advice on how to manage your risk, especially if you experience recurring or chronic kidney stones.
Don’t suffer through the pain of kidney stones, give us a call or book an appointment online today for expert, customized treatments including ESWL.
