WHAT IF THE KIDNEY STONE ISN’T CAUSING ANY SYMPTOMS – SHOULD IT STILL BE TREATED?
There are some instances when it is okay to leave a kidney stone untreated. If the stone is small (less than 5 mm) and not causing any pain, there is a good chance that it will pass on its own after it falls into the ureter. Such stones may be followed with “watchful waiting”. This means that the stone is not actively treated, but instead your doctor keeps a check on the stone to be sure that it is not growing or changing. This can be done with periodic x-rays. There are a number of reasons to treat a kidney stone even if it is not causing any painful symptoms. Recurring urinary tract infections Some kidney stones may be infected, and in many cases, despite proper antibiotic treatment, the infection cannot be cleared from the stone. In such cases, the only way to remove the infection completely is to remove the stone completely. Staghorn stones These are extremely large stones that grow to fill the inside of the kidney. There are serious health risks associated with these stones, and l
