Ways To Treat And Prevent Kidney Stones

5. Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy

For kidney stones that are too large to pass on their own, your doctor might recommend extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, or ESWL. This procedure utilizes shock waves to break the kidney stones into smaller fragments. These pieces could then pass more easily on their own through the urinary tract. This method is typically done under local anesthesia or sedatives, and is usually an outpatient procedure. After ESWL, the stone fragments usually pass in the urine over a period of a few days following the treatment. This could possibly cause mild pain. But if the fragments are still too large to pass on their own, you may need to undergo ESWL again, or try another treatment.