Patient's question:
I heard from others that doing lithotripsy is very painful, but why doesn't my urinary stone hurt when I have extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL)? How can urinary system stones be treated effectively?Doctor's answer:
Simply because it doesn't hurt doesn't mean that many friends with ureteral stones are experiencing severe obstruction. Some friends are completely unaware of this. You cannot determine the presence of a stone based on sensation; it needs to be checked to see if the stone is still there. For some people, even small stones can cause pain and discomfort if they get lodged in the ureter. This is related to the shape of the stone. Some stones are very sharp, so the irritation is greater.