Kidney Stone Doctor Near Me: How To Find & What To Look For
Reviewed by Dr. Maya Frankfurt, PhD
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Discovering you have kidney stones can come as a big surprise. Often, kidney stones are accompanied by severe pain and bloody urine which requires you to go to urgent care where a diagnosis of kidney stones is made with a urine test and a urinary system x-ray. However, being free from pain doesn’t guarantee that you are stone-free.
The best doctor to see for treatment and follow-up is a kidney stone specialist. Despite most kidney stones passing naturally, consulting an expert may prevent pain and complications. Treatment helps stones pass through the urinary tract more easily and prevents further kidney stone formation.
Kidney stones are associated with an increased risk[1] of more stones and chronic or end-stage kidney disease. An analysis of your kidney stone type may allow you to make dietary changes such as taking apple cider vinegar for kidney stone prevention. Treatments from a specialist will prevent kidney damage and teach you how to prevent kidney stones.
Kidney Stone Doctor Near Me
A urologist is the best doctor to treat kidney stones. While your insurance may list their urologists and hospitals in the network, it is crucial to look at reviews or get references from others when picking a provider.
Using online directories such as Yelp or getting referrals from friends or your primary care provider will give you insight into patient experiences. Sites such as Zocdoc can book appointments with their recommended in-network urologists too.
Kidney Stone Doctor Near Me: How To Find
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Use Online Directory Tools
Zocdoc
Pros
- Insurance coverage may be included in the search.
- Map interface.
- Video or in-person consultation.
- Online booking with a reminder.
Cons
- Depending on the area, very few providers may be listed.
As an online list of providers with scheduling options and reviews, Zocdoc is one of the most common sites to use. It may not list every provider available, but all of them will have online booking options allowing you to skip the phone when making an appointment.
Doctors do not work for Zocdoc and only use it to publicize their services and book appointments. Reviews usually correspond with ease of booking rather than reflecting on the provider’s ability. We recommend consulting additional sources to choose the best doctor for your kidney stones.
Findatopdoc.com
Pros
- Insurance coverage may be included in the search.
- Map interface.
- Reviews listed with credentials/experience.
- Many providers are listed.
Cons
- No scheduling options.
Similar to Zocdoc in ease of use and presented information, Findatopdoc.com is a useful tool with even more providers listed. The doctor’s profiles are listed with more information including their history at university and their board certifications and credentials. There is no integrated scheduler, but you will have all the contact information you need on the profiles.
Yelp
Pros
- Map interface.
- Direct link to doctor’s website and online booking platform.
Cons
- No insurance integration.
- Reviews are for the business and not the individual practitioner.
- Other practices may show on the results page.
Yelp is a great website for reviews of local businesses. Clinics are listed on Yelp with their contact info and direct links to their online scheduling system if available. Don’t hesitate to read through the opinions to find specific experiences of the providers within a business.
Review Directories
There are many websites that scrub the internet using algorithms to make a list of service providers so that users may leave opinions. These sites are not always reliable with their evaluation process and may have incentives to hide negative reviews.
Vitals
Pros
- Easy to use and clean to read.
- Reviews seem real and relevant.
Cons
- Profiles are scrubbed from the internet.
- Negative reviews can be paid to be removed.
Vitals doesn’t seem to moderate reviews other than through paid removal. This could lead to the potential for fake reviews but it also may be a positive because, compared to the other sites, Vitals does not hide negative reviews.
DocSpot
Pros
- Most, if not all providers are listed.
Cons
- Information may be out of date as it is not always managed by the provider or clinic.
- There are complaints about the quality of reviews. Use your best judgment when reading.
Healthgrades
Pros
- Comprehensive list of providers.
Cons
- There are complaints about blocking negative reviews.
What Type Of Doctor Should I Consult About Kidney Stones?
Seek medical attention from urgent care if you experience any of the following symptoms[2]:
- Severe pain in your back or side that will not go away.
- Bloody urine.
- Fever and chills.
- Vomiting.
- Smelly or cloudy urine.
- Burning with urination.
After you are diagnosed, a urologist is the best doctor to continue to manage your kidney stones. As experts on the genital and urinary tracts, they have expertise on how to get rid of kidney stones. Urologists provide the appropriate medical or surgical treatments based on the size and location of kidney stones. They may refer some cases to a nephrologist who specializes in kidney functions and disorders.
Best Kidney Stone Doctor Near Me: What To Look For
Kidney stones vary in severity and kidney stone treatment should reflect this. A partial urinary obstruction from small stones is, typically, not urgent and manageable as an outpatient in an urgent care facility with non-invasive treatments. Afterward, you should receive dietary instructions such as how much water you should drink a day to reduce risk factors for kidney stones.
Not all kidney stones pass quickly. It is vital to follow up and ensure there are no more stones or damage to the urinary tract. Get an analysis of the stone formation to learn how to reduce your risk factors. The results from your analysis will arm you with knowledge about their origins such as high calcium or uric acid levels in the urine.
Physicians may list foods to avoid or eat which help pass or prevent kidney stones. Research their recommendations and look for reputable sources with references to research such as in our Goli Gummies review.
Consider the following when selecting a kidney stone specialist doctor near me:
Expertise
Not all urologists specialize in kidney stones. They may have other areas of focus such as incontinence, erectile dysfunction, cancer, or vasectomies. Review clinic websites to see if kidney stone treatment is a listed service or specialty.
Reputation
Use online review directories to find red flags. Many sites have disallowed bad reviews or providers may pay to remove them. Check multiple sources to be certain.
Get a referral from your primary care doctor. If you don’t have a primary care doctor, most offices will have a list of preferred providers. Similarly, you may seek opinions from anyone you know who has had experiences with a specific clinic or urologist.
When researching, focus on what is important to you. Does the urologist have good communication and credentials? Ensure that the office workers are capable and work well. Getting appointments and dealing with insurance can be a headache. Good office teams can make a huge difference.
Hospital Affiliation
Check for urologists affiliated with reputable hospitals or urology departments. They will have access to specialists such as nephrologists, a laboratory, and equipment for images such as a ct scan.
Availability
Same-day appointments with urologists are uncommon. They may be booked months out. Follow-up is ideal within a few weeks and you may need help from your primary care doctor while you wait. Compare schedules with many clinics and inquire if there is a cancellation penalty.
Insurance
Confirm provider coverage with your insurance. Most will have an online directory of covered providers and hospitals to ensure you are not stuck with surprise bills.
Conclusion
Kidney stone disease is very painful and not something that you want to ignore. While urgent stone treatment is effective, follow-up with the best doctor is the best way to prevent future stones and their complications.
Of all physicians, a urologist is the specialist of choice for the diagnosis and treatment of kidney stones. With your insurance on hand, search the local databases for the closest doctors in your network and cross-check their reviews to see if you find one you prefer. Though follow-up is not urgent, a urologist’s availability is usually a big problem and you need to book early.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is reasonable to use urgent care for initial pain management and diagnosis[3] while ruling out other possible health concerns. Primary care doctors can manage symptoms while waiting for a urologist appointment.
Causes depend on the type of kidney stone. They can be made of calcium, cystine, struvite, uric acid, or produced from medicines or cancer. Not drinking enough fluids is the biggest factor.
Squats and lunges can help you get bigger hips.
The gluteus muscles should be targeted if you want to get wider hips.
Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water per day. Use any medicines prescribed by your doctor for prevention. Consider dietary changes. Apple cider vinegar is safe to try in addition to your other treatments.
Yes. You need a specialist to determine your kidney stone’s origin and reduce your health risks.
+ 4 sources
MIDSS adheres to strict procurement guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutes, and medical associations. We work mainly with peer-reviewed studies to ensure the accuracy of the information. We avoid the use of tertiary references. You can read about how we ensure the accuracy and timeliness of our content in our editorial process.
- Siener, R. (2021). Nutrition and Kidney Stone Disease. [online] 13(6), pp.1917–1917. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13061917.
- Medlineplus.gov. (2019). Kidney stones: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. [online] Available at: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000458.htm.
- Leonardo Ferreira Fontenelle and Thiago Dias Sarti (2019). Kidney Stones: Treatment and Prevention. American Family Physician, [online] 99(8), pp.490–496. Available at: https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2019/0415/p490.html.
- Ferraro, P., Matteo Bargagli, Trinchieri, A. and Gambaro, G. (2020). Risk of Kidney Stones: Influence of Dietary Factors, Dietary Patterns, and Vegetarian–Vegan Diets. [online] 12(3), pp.779–779. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12030779.
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