How to Pass Kidney Stones: Conventional and Unconventional Methods
Andrew Siegel MD 3/15/2025
This entry was inspired by and is dedicated to a patient, Dr. Mark Flood (he granted me permission to use his name), who describes himself (in his own words) as “a crazy psychiatrist in New Jersey.” He is, in fact, perhaps the sanest and most highly skilled psychiatrist I have ever met. Following shock wave lithotripsy treatment of a kidney stone, he used a battery powered massager on his flank region, and it seemed that the vibrations helped him by tricking his brain to not focus on the pain that he was experiencing.
So, you’ve got a stone in the kidney or ureter (the narrow tube connecting kidney to bladder). Ouch! First of all, my deepest condolences. If you’ve never had one before, welcome to a pain so exquisite that many women say it’s worse than childbirth. (And, ladies, if you’ve had both, you are officially superheroes.)
While there are plenty of fancy, high-tech surgical ways to get rid of these tiny torture devices, today we’re talking about how to evict them sans surgery. Because let’s face it, if there’s a way to avoid a hospital bill and still get results, we’re taking it.
Stone passage is predicated on the size and shape of the stone (smaller and smoother the better), location (upper-pole and mid-pole kidney better), and urinary tract anatomy. Stones in the lower pole of the kidney (referred to as “the anatomical wastebasket”) are particularly challenging to pass because they are geographically situated below the exit site of urine from the kidney.
Like intestine, the ureter has a natural peristalsis, involuntary and wave-like series of contractions that propel urine through the urinary tract, so nature is on your side in moving stones from the kidney and ureter down into the bladder. But sometimes nature needs a little help, the topic of today’s entry.
Conventional Methods of Kidney Stone Passage
Most urologists will advise the following:
Drinking lots of fluids – Preferably water, but hey, whatever gets the job done.
MET Therapy – Medical Expulsive Therapy. This involves taking an alpha-blocker medication to relax the ureter and thus help the stone move along. Flomax (tamsulosin) is commonly used.
DIP Therapy – Diuresis, Inversion, Percussion. This sounds much fancier than it is. Basically, it involves: Drinking water like it’s your job (diuresis); Assuming the “upside-down couch potato” position (inversion) – Lie face-down on a couch or bed, then let your head and shoulders dangle toward the floor. This flips your kidney, so the stone isn’t stuck in its “anatomical wastebasket”; Getting whacked in the back (percussion) – Yes, percussion literally means tapping or thumping your kidney area to get that little sucker unstuck. If you’ve ever wanted an excuse for your spouse to slap you around (gently), this is it!
Non-Conventional Methods That Actually Work
Now, if the usual methods don’t do the trick, it’s time to get creative with the following techniques:
Advanced Percussion Techniques – If your spouse’s back-whacking skills are lacking, call in a pro! A physical therapist can do the job, or you can try a vibration device like the Theragun. Bonus: it doubles as a deep-tissue massager when your muscles cramp from all the kidney stone drama. FYI, I love my Theragun device!
Inversion Tables – If you own one, great! Flip upside down and let gravity work its magic. If you don’t, well…maybe now’s the time to reconsider that impulse Amazon purchase. FYI, a friend of mine gave me his inversion table when he no longer had use for it and I was having herniated lumbar disc issues. It provides for a great spinal stretch and is also a challenging way to do crunches!
Beer – If you’ve ever had a few beers and noticed how often you run to the bathroom, you already understand its potential. Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it increases urine output—and with enough volume, that stone might just get swept away. Also, remember that there was a time before anesthesia existed when alcohol was used. If you do try this method, please do not drive your car.
Get Moving – Stones are like lazy houseguests: sometimes, you need to shake and jostle things up to get them out. Try walking, dancing, jumping jacks, using jump rope, horseback riding, or—wait for this—having sex. Yes, science says sex helps pass stones and reduces pain meds. If that’s not the best excuse ever, I don’t know what is.
Roller Coasters – Ever needed a real medical reason to hit up an amusement park? Well, here it is. Studies have shown that the jolts, turns, and sudden drops of a good roller coaster can help dislodge kidney stones. Just maybe skip the beer beforehand.
Bottom Line: There are plenty of ways to help nature along and pass kidney and ureteral stones without surgery. Hydrate, pharmacologically relax your ureter, and try some positioning tricks, percussion, and even unconventional methods like roller coasters and, yes, even sex. And if you’re truly desperate? Well, a beer-fueled roller coaster ride followed by some, ahem, physical activity might just do the trick. Good luck, kidney stoners!
Wishing you the best of health, a stone free existence, and a safe Ides of March,
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Dr. Andrew Siegel is a physician and urological surgeon who is board-certified in urology as well as in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery. His mission is to “bridge the gap” between the public and the medical community.
He is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Urology at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine and is a Castle Connolly Top Doctor New York Metro Area, Inside Jersey Top Doctor and Inside Jersey Top Doctor for Women’s Health. He is a urologist at New Jersey Urology, a Summit Health Company. He is the co-founder of PelvicRx and Private Gym.
Dr. Siegel is the author of several books. The newly revised second edition (June 2023) of Prostate Cancer 20/20: A Practical Guide to Understanding Management Options for Patients and Their Families is now available in print and Kindle formats on Amazon.
Video trailer for Prostate Cancer 20/20
Preview of Prostate Cancer 20/20
Andrew Siegel MD Amazon author page
Dr. Siegel’s other books:
THE KEGEL FIX: Recharging Female Pelvic, Sexual, and Urinary Health
MALE PELVIC FITNESS: Optimizing Sexual and Urinary Health
Promiscuous Eating: Understanding and Ending Our Self-Destructive Relationship with Food