Kidney stones are common among Americans. Nearly one in 10 Americans will get a kidney stone each year, and they aren’t any fun to experience.

Read on as our AFC Urgent Care Cleveland team shares more info you need to know about kidney stones.

What Are Kidney Stones?

Kidney stones are hard objects that are made up of urine chemicals.

Many types of body waste dissolve in urine, and crystals form when there is too much waste in too little urine. These crystals then attract more waste, resulting in the formation of a kidney stone that must be passed through the urinary system. The most frequent kidney stone symptoms are mentioned below.

Common Kidney Stone Symptoms

• Severe pain on either side of your lower back
• More vague pain or stomach ache that doesn’t go away
• Blood in the urine
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fever and chills
• Urine that smells bad or looks cloudy

What Can Be Done to Treat Kidney Stones?

In most cases, treatment for kidney stones starts off simple. If you believe you have a kidney stone or have been diagnosed with a kidney stone by your doctor, you will almost certainly be asked to drink lots of water. Staying adequately hydrated can help to flush out the kidney stone.

Kidney stones typically last for around a month in most scenarios, but everyone’s experience with a kidney stone is a little different. We’ve listed the best treatment tactics below.

Common Kidney Stone Treatments

• Drinking water. Most kidney stones are small and will eventually pass through your urinary system, so drinking lots of water is the best way to flush them out sooner than later. Drinking fluids will dilute urine and give you the best chance at passing a kidney stone in a timely manner.
• Pain relievers. Passing kidney stones doesn’t feel good. To relieve pain, OTC medicines like ibuprofen or naproxen sodium can be helpful.
• Medical therapy. In some cases, your doctor may give you a medication called an alpha blocker to help pass your kidney stone. This type of medication relaxes the muscles in your ureter, which will help you pass the kidney stone more quickly and with less pain.

Do you think you have a kidney stone but don’t know what to do? Don’t hesitate to reach out to our AFC Urgent Care Cleveland team today!