Kidney Stones (मिर्गौलाको पत्थरी) Treatment in Kathmandu

Medically reviewed by KNMC Hospital Last updated: September 2026

Overview

Kidney stones, known in Nepali as mirgaula ko pattathari (मिर्गौलाको पत्थरी), are a common health problem in Nepal. Cases seem to be going up as diets and daily habits change. Some stones cause no pain at all. Others cause sudden, sometimes sharp pain that sends people straight to the hospital. This article explains what kidney stones are, why they form, and what kidney stone treatment in Kathmandu usually involves, from simple monitoring to surgery.

The total cost of laser treatment for kidney stones at KNMC Hospital in Kathmandu is typically between Rs. 60,000 and Rs. 70,000, which covers laboratory testing, hospital stay, the procedure, and medications used during the OT. KNMC Hospital is happy to announce that patients can book a consultation for evaluation and treatment options with Dr. Jit Prakash Shrestha, Sr Consultant Endo Urologist & Minimal Invasive Surgeon.

What are kidney stones?

Kidneys (मिर्गौला) are two small organs that clean your blood and produce urine (पिसाब). A kidney stone is formed when minerals and salts in urine fuse and harden. This condition is often because the urine is too concentrated, which is usually caused by dehydration. Stones can be as small as a grain of sand or, in rare cases, as large as a golf ball. They can stay in the kidney or move into the ureter, the tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder. Pain is usually worse when a stone is moving through this tube.

Kidney stones are often confused with gallstones, since both involve "stones" forming inside the body, but they're two different conditions in two different organs. If your pain sits more in the upper right side of your stomach, especially after eating, our guide to gallstones (cholelithiasis) treatment in Kathmandu may be more relevant.

Types of Kidney Stones

There are four main types of kidney stones.

1. Calcium stones The most common type. There are two kinds:

Calcium oxalate
Calcium phosphate

2. Uric acid stones: Form when there is too much uric acid in the urine. Often linked to diet or gout.

3. Struvite stones: Also called triple phosphate stones. These usually form after a urinary tract infection.

4. Cystine stones: Rare. Caused by a genetic condition that makes the kidneys pass too much of a substance called cystine.

Causes and Risk Factors for Kidney Stones

Diet: Eating a lot of oxalate-rich foods (like spinach, beets, and nuts), too much salt, or too little calcium can raise your risk.

Not drinking enough water: This makes urine more concentrated, which makes stones more likely to form.

Family history: If a close family member has had kidney stones, your own risk is higher.

Age and sex: Most common between ages 31 and 45, and more common in men than women.

Being overweight: Linked to higher levels of stone-forming substances in urine.

Urinary tract problems: Blockages or unusual structures in the urinary tract can make stones more likely.

Certain health conditions: Gout, hyperparathyroidism (a condition where a small gland makes too much of a hormone that raises blood calcium), and cystinuria (a rare inherited condition) can all raise risk.

Some medicines: Certain diuretics (water pills) and antacids can change urine in ways that raise risk.

Low activity levels: Being inactive can change how your body handles calcium, which may add to the risk.

A past kidney stone: If you've had one stone before, you're more likely to get another.

A Note on Risk Factors in Nepal

A 2026 hospital-based study at B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS) in Dharan, Eastern Nepal, found that calcium oxalate is the most common stone type locally (59.5% of cases analyzed), with a male predominance and the highest rates among adults aged 31–45.¹ A separate epidemiological study from a tertiary care center in Eastern Nepal similarly found male predominance, with the highest prevalence in the 20–30 age group and the ureter as the most common stone location.² Both studies are from Eastern Nepal rather than Kathmandu specifically, but they broadly confirm patterns that match global trends: more common in men, most common in mid-adulthood, and calcium oxalate as the dominant stone type.

Diets high in salt and low in fluid intake, both known risk factors everywhere, are also relevant given common eating habits in Nepal. Beyond this, some other claims you may hear, such as unsupervised use of painkillers or a higher risk in certain communities, don't yet have solid published research behind them specific to Nepal, so it's best to treat these as general possibilities rather than established facts until more local studies are available.

Sources:

Signs and Symptoms of Kidney Stones

Severe pain in the back or side (कम्मर दुखाइ): Often the clearest sign, and it can come in waves.

Blood in the urine (पिसाबमा रगत): May turn urine pink, red, or brown.

Nausea and vomiting: The pain from a stone can be strong enough to cause this.

Unusual urine smell or colour: Urine may look cloudy or smell bad, along with blood.

Fever: Can be a sign of infection along with the stone, and should be checked quickly.

General stomach pain: Discomfort isn't always limited to the back.

What Are the Complications of Kidney Stones?

Urinary tract infections (UTIs): A stone can give bacteria a place to grow.

Blocked urine flow: A larger stone can block the flow of urine, causing severe pain and possible kidney damage.

Hydronephrosis: When urine can't flow properly, the kidney can swell.

Sepsis: Rare, but a blocked and infected urinary system can lead to a serious, life-threatening infection.

Kidney damage: Repeated blockages, over time, can harm how well the kidneys work.

Chronic kidney disease: Stones that keep coming back may add to long-term kidney problems.

How Are Kidney Stones Diagnosed?

1. Urine tests

Can show blood, infection, crystals, or high levels of stone-forming substances.

A 24-hour urine collection may be used to measure what's raising or lowering your stone risk.

2. Blood tests

Check calcium, uric acid, and how well your kidneys are working.

Can help find conditions like high calcium, gout, or reduced kidney function that may be adding to the problem.

3. Imaging tests

Ultrasound: The first test most doctors use. It's simple, doesn't use radiation, and works well for most stones. Widely used in Nepal.

CT scan (without contrast dye): The most accurate test. Can find even small stones and show exactly where they are.

X-ray (KUB): Sometimes used, but not all stones show up clearly, especially small ones.

4. Stone analysis

If you pass a stone, your doctor may ask you to strain your urine and save it.

A lab can then check what the stone is made of, which helps guide your treatment and how to prevent more.

Kidney Stone Treatment Options in Kathmandu, Nepal

Treatment depends on the size, type, and location of the stone, and how you're feeling. Some small stones pass on their own. Others need medicine or a procedure.

1. Conservative management (stones under about 5mm)

Drink more water: About 2 to 3 liters a day, unless your doctor says otherwise, helps flush the stone out.

Pain relief: Medicine to manage pain while the stone passes.

Medical therapy: Alpha-blocker medicines can relax the muscles in the ureter, making it easier for a stone to pass.

Regular check-ups: Scans and urine tests to see if the stone is moving or has passed.

2. Medical expulsive therapy

Certain medicines can help pass or dissolve some stones, especially uric acid stones, by changing how acidic your urine is.

Your doctor will check if this option fits your stone type and general health.

3. Minimally invasive and surgical options (for larger or more painful stones)

Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL): A non-surgical treatment that uses sound waves from outside the body to break the stone into small pieces you can pass in your urine. Usually done with light anaesthesia. Blood in the urine or mild discomfort afterward is common and temporary.

Ureteroscopy: A thin scope is passed through the urethra and bladder up into the ureter. The doctor then removes the stone or breaks it up using small tools or a laser. A small tube (stent) may be placed for a short time to help healing.

Laser treatment (laser lithotripsy): The laser fibre is usually inserted through a ureteroscope and shatters the stone into small fragments or dust that can pass spontaneously or can be removed directly. This is one of the most common procedures for stones that do not pass on their own. It is accurate and usually has a quick recovery. At KNMC Hospital, the laser treatment for kidney stones usually costs Rs 60,000 to Rs 70,000 as a package which includes lab tests, hospital stay, the operation and medicines used in the operation theatre. This is a general starting range and your doctor/department will confirm the exact cost for your specific case during consultation, as it can vary with stone size, location and complexity.

Laparoscopic or open surgery: Rarely needed. Only used if other methods don't work.

Kidney stone treatment in Kathmandu, including diagnosis and both non-surgical and surgical care, is available through KNMC's Urology department,

Dr. Jit Prakash Shrestha, Sr Consultant Endo Urologist & Minimal Invasive Surgeon at KNMC (NMC 6515), has more than 15 years of clinical experience in urology and takes care of kidney stone patients in the Urology department. His special areas of practice are kidney and urinary stones, prostate diseases, urinary tract infections, bladder and kidney diseases, endourology and minimally invasive surgery and andrology.

Dr. Shrestha graduated with MBBS in 2007 and Master in Surgery (Urology) in 2012. He has attended national and international urology conferences with a focus on endourology and minimally invasive techniques including workshops on advanced PCNL and several Nepal Association of Urological Surgeons conferences. He is a member of Nepal Medical Council, Nepal Medical Association and Nepal Association of Urological Surgeons. He is a consultant in other hospitals and teaching institutions of Nepal.

He sees patients through KNMC's OPD, Sunday to Friday. Visit the Urology department page or find a doctor to check current schedules and book directly.

Preventing Kidney Stones: Practical Tips

Drink enough water: Your urine should look pale yellow, not dark.

Eat a kidney-friendly diet: Limit salt, oxalate-rich foods, and animal protein.

Keep a healthy weight: Extra weight is linked to a higher stone risk.

Cut back on sugar and soft drinks: Both are linked to higher risk.

Talk to your doctor about your medicines: Some can affect stone risk, so check with a doctor rather than changing anything on your own.

Be careful with home and herbal remedies: Some aren't proven to work, and a few may even affect your kidneys. Check with a doctor first.

Myths and Misconceptions in Nepal

Myth: Only men get kidney stones.

Fact: Not true. Men have a somewhat higher risk, but women get them too, and more often than people assume.

Myth: Drinking beer helps pass kidney stones.

Fact: There's no proof this works, and alcohol can actually make you more dehydrated.

Myth: Once you get a kidney stone, you'll always get more.

Fact: With the right diet and lifestyle changes, and regular check-ups, you can often lower your risk of getting another.

Myth: Every stone needs surgery.

Fact: Many stones pass on their own or with medicine. Surgery is usually only needed for larger or more complicated stones.

When to See a Doctor

See a doctor if you have:

Severe pain in your back or side, especially with nausea, vomiting, or blood in your urine

Trouble urinating, or can't urinate at all

Fever and chills, which can be a sign of infection

Stones that keep coming back, even after past treatment

Waiting too long to get treatment can lead to kidney damage or serious complications. Don't ignore symptoms that keep coming back.

FAQs

How do I know if it's a kidney stone or something else?

Sudden, severe pain in the back or side, especially with blood in the urine or nausea, is a common sign of a kidney stone. Only a doctor's exam and scans can confirm it, though.

Can a kidney stone pass without any treatment?

Many small stones, usually under about 5mm, pass on their own with enough water and time. Your doctor may still recommend pain relief and check-ups along the way.

Is kidney stone surgery painful?

Modern treatments like ESWL and ureteroscopy are much less invasive than older open surgery. Most people manage any discomfort afterward with medicine the doctor prescribes.

How can I stop kidney stones from coming back?

Drinking enough water, eating less salt and fewer oxalate-rich foods, and following advice based on what your stone was made of are the best ways to lower your risk of getting another one.

Does diet really affect kidney stone risk?

Yes. Diets high in salt, low in water, and rich in oxalate foods are all linked to a higher risk of stones forming.

Key Takeaways

Kidney stones are common but often preventable with simple daily habits.

Drinking enough water and eating less salt both help lower your risk.

Getting checked early helps avoid problems like infection or kidney damage.

Not every stone needs surgery — many pass with water, time, and monitoring.

A urologist can guide your treatment plan. Unproven home remedies are not a safe substitute for medical care.

Conclusion

Kidney stones are becoming more common across Nepal, but better awareness, healthier eating, enough water, and timely medical care can lower your risk by a real amount. If you or someone close to you may be at risk, watch for the symptoms and get checked early. Ongoing or severe symptoms are always worth a doctor's opinion, not self-treatment at home.

Department: Urology | Consulting Doctors: Dr. Jit Prakash Shrestha,

Book a consultation with KNMC's Urology team:

01-4771556 | Book Appointment | Contact Us

Follow KNMC: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok