Kidney stones · Alpharetta and Roswell
Kidney stones: when the pain belongs in the office, and when it belongs in the ER.
A sudden ache in the side or back can turn an ordinary day upside down. If you think kidney stones are the cause, our Alpharetta / Roswell urologists can help you understand what you are feeling, when the emergency room is the right place, and what an office visit can do.
What can kidney stones feel like?
The discomfort often sits along the flank or in the lower back, may come in waves, and sometimes moves down toward the groin. Stinging as you urinate, a need to go more often, nausea, or pink or rusty urine can be part of the same picture, and some kidney stones cause no pain and are found on an image taken for another reason. Flank pain is not always a stone, which is why a visit, rather than a guess from the pattern, is the useful next step; this page is educational and is not a diagnosis.
When should I go to the emergency room for kidney stones?
Go to an emergency room, or dial 911, if pain you think is from kidney stones comes with fever or chills, if you cannot urinate, if you are passing a lot of blood or clots, if you cannot keep fluids down, or if the pain is so intense that you cannot find a comfortable position. Please do not wait for an office appointment in those cases. An emergency department can drain an obstructed system and treat an infection; the office visit that follows is for the stone itself and for how to lower the chance of another one.
How do I get seen at the office for kidney stones?
Call 678-344-8900 and tell us you are worried about kidney stones, or book online. Urgent urologic problems are prioritized, and our scheduling team will share the opening that is available at this office; we do not promise a same-day visit or a set waiting time on this site, because openings change. Ultrasound and laboratory testing are on site at 11660 Alpharetta Hwy Ste 700, Roswell, GA 30076, so the first assessment can often happen in the same building.
What treatments does Advanced Urology offer for kidney stones?
Some smaller kidney stones pass with time, fluids and a plan for comfort, and our urologists will say so when that is a reasonable path. When a stone needs to be treated, Advanced Urology offers shock wave lithotripsy, which uses pulses from outside the body to fragment the stone, and ureteroscopy, in which a thin scope reaches the stone, often with a laser. For very large kidney stones, a procedure through a small opening in the back, called PCNL, may be discussed instead; every procedure has risks, which we review with you before anything is scheduled.
Kidney stone procedures, in more detail
Read more from Advanced Urology on kidney stones, shock wave lithotripsy and ureteroscopy. Which option fits depends on the size, hardness and location of the stone, and on your own health. Many of these procedures, when they are needed, can be done in our surgery center in this building.
What is a stent, and why is one used after kidney stones?
After ureteroscopy, a soft temporary tube called a stent is often placed so urine can drain while the ureter settles. You may notice urgency, stinging, or light blood in the urine while it is in place; those effects are discussed in advance. The stent is later removed at a follow-up visit. Our urologists will tell you whether a stent is part of your plan and how removal is arranged.
What is a prevention visit after kidney stones?
If you have had more than one of these kidney stones, or a stone was found and you want to understand why, a prevention visit looks at your pattern: fluids, diet, medicines, and, when it would help, urine or blood tests. The aim is a plan you can actually follow, not a generic set of restrictions. Treating the stone you have now and lowering the chance of another one are two parts of the same conversation.
What should I bring if I think I have kidney stones?
Any imaging you already have — the report and, if you can obtain them, the images — plus a medicine list and your insurance card. If you have passed a stone before, notes about when and how it was treated are useful. What to bring covers the rest of the checklist. We do not list self-pay prices on this site.
How do I see a kidney stone doctor at this office?
Call 678-344-8900 or book online and tell us you need to be seen for kidney stones or for lithotripsy. Urgent problems are prioritized, and our scheduling team will share the opening that is available at 11660 Alpharetta Hwy Ste 700, Roswell; we do not promise a same-day visit or a set waiting time on this site. Ultrasound and laboratory testing are in this building, so the first look can often start here.
What is shock wave lithotripsy, and when is it used?
Shock wave lithotripsy uses pulses from outside the body to fragment a stone so the pieces can pass. Our urologists consider it when the size, hardness and location of the stone make that approach reasonable, and they will also discuss ureteroscopy or, for very large stones, PCNL. Risks, including the possible need for a temporary stent, are reviewed before a procedure is scheduled in our surgery center or at the hospital if that is the safer setting for your case.
Our team at the Alpharetta / Roswell office
Dr. Rut Patel, MD, Director of Robotic Surgery
Physician assistant Anna McMaster, PA-C
Physician assistant Alysha Naran, PA-C
Physician assistant Austin Durden, PA-C
Physician assistant Payton Eason, PA-C
Family nurse practitioner Zohra Sayani, FNP
Our urologists — Dr. Herman Bagga, Dr. Rut Patel, Advanced Urology’s Director of Robotic Surgery, and Dr. Kushan Radadia — see adults from Alpharetta, Roswell, Milton, Crabapple and Mountain Park at 11660 Alpharetta Hwy Ste 700, Roswell, GA 30076. Physician assistants Anna McMaster, Alysha Naran, Austin Durden and Payton Eason, and family nurse practitioner Zohra Sayani, work beside them. Meet the full team.
Communities we see at this office
You are seen at our Alpharetta / Roswell Clinic & Surgery Center, whether you are coming from Roswell, Milton, Crabapple or Mountain Park, or from Alpharetta itself. Our office page has the address, parking and how the clinic and surgery center share this building. All areas we serve.
Related video
Dr. Rut Patel, who sees patients at this office, talks about kidney stone disease, and an official Advanced Urology video covers ureteroscopy:
More from our team
From our articles: Shock Wave Lithotripsy or Ureteroscopy? · Blood in Urine From a UTI or Stone? · Kidney Stones and Calcium Supplements.
Advanced Urology, Alpharetta / Roswell Clinic & Surgery Center11660 Alpharetta Hwy Ste 700Roswell, GA 30076
678-344-8900
This office on advancedurology.com
For education, not medical advice. Every treatment has risks and benefits. Emergency? Call 911 or go to an emergency room.
Whenever you’re ready, our Alpharetta / Roswell team would be glad to hear from you.