Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy Treatment

Post ESWL Positioning (Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy)

ESWL treatment breaks your kidney stones into particles ranging in size from dust to small pieces of gravel. Most of these fragments pass out of your kidney with the normal flow of urine from the kidneys to the bladder. Occasionally some of these small particles settle in the lower pole (drainage area) of the kidney and do not pass into the bladder and out of your body. If these particles remain in kidney there is a chance that they will form into stones again. In order to help these particles pass we have developed the following procedure which you should follow twice a day:

1. Drink two 8 ounce glasses of water.
2. Wait 30 minutes.
3. Place one end of an ironing board (or other similar board) on a chair or stool 12-18 inches from the floor. Let the other end rest on the floor so that you now have a 30-45 degree inclined plane to lie on.
4. Lie on this board, head down, on your stomach for 30 minutes.
5. Lie on this board, head down, with your affected kidney up for 30 minutes.
6. After getting up drink another 8 ounce glass of water.
7. Whenever possible sleep or rest with the affected kidney up.

These steps should be followed twice a day alternating 4 and 5. While you are laying on the board you may have someone gently pound or vibrate the area over your kidney. This will help to loosen the stone particles. You should notice an increase in the amount of gravel in your urine after following this procedure.