Some of these obstructions can be alleviated by surgery and follow-up medical treatment. Tumors are treated with surgery, radiation, and appropriate medications. The crystals can grow into a stone as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. Small stones are passed out of the body with the urine. The larger ones can block urine flow or irritate the lining of the urinary tract.
Serious infections can result from a blockage.
Since 90 percent of stones are small enough to pass naturally, treatment usually consists of methods to promote this, such as drinking a lot of liquid. Larger stones are often treated by passing a telescopic device into the ureter or bladder and either removing the stones or breaking them into small fragments with lasers or sound waves. Alternatively, larger stones may be broken down by high-energy shock waves. Only rarely is surgery necessary. Drinking large amounts of fluids, taking certain medications, and changing the diet may help prevent the formation of new stones.