How can kidney stones be treated, and how can he prevent another attack?
A. Your husband probably has calcium oxalate stones, the cause in 75 percent of cases. His doctor can do tests to see what kind of stone he has. For stones that don’t pass by themselves, shock-wave lithotripsy may be needed your husband would be placed in a water bath and ultrasound would be used to create shock waves that travel through the skin and body to hit the stones, breaking them apart into tiny sand-like pieces. But surgical removal may be needed if the stone is very large, in an inaccessible location, or composed of cystine (which can’t be shattered by lithotripsy). Having concentrated urine can cause stones to crystallize. To prevent future attacks, your husband should drink 10 extra glasses of fluid each day (of which at least half should be water), evenly spaced throughout the day. Include a full glass at bedtime (to prevent concentrated urine overnight while sleeping, even if he may have to awaken at night to urinate). He should also drink extra fluids after exercise. The
