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Can You Use Flomax For Kidney Stones? Diagnosis & Treatment

Michael DiLeo

Updated on - Written by
Medically reviewed by Dr. Maya Frankfurt, PhD

flomax kidney stone

Did you know that 11% of men and 6% of the women in the United States[1] suffer from Kidney stones or have had it at least once in their lifetime? It is a problem that may substantially impact your life. Kidney stones is a common and painful condition. It requires an effective solution to alleviate its weakening symptoms.

Fortunately, we’ll provide valuable information on Flomax and other concerns you may have on how to get rid of kidney stones. You’ll be ready to say goodbye to hours of agony and unnecessary medical expenses.

This comprehensive guide will cover the Flomax kidney stone treatment, its benefits, potential side effects, and other helpful angles on the topic.

Can You Use Flomax for Kidney Stones?

But how does Flomax help you defeat those bothersome kidney stones? By relaxing the muscles in your urinary tract.

Imagine your urinary tract as a pathway, and those stubborn stones cause a traffic jam and painful blockage. Flomax steps in to calm those muscles. This creates a smoother and wider passage for the stones to pass through.

How Does Flomax Help Pass Kidney Stones?

Flomax, commonly prescribed for distal ureteral stones, helps alleviate lower urinary tract symptoms and improve urinary flow. In rare cases, Flomax may be prescribed to help treat kidney stones including those composed of uric acid crystals.

Because Flomax works differently for each patient, it requires a doctor’s prescription. Doctors consider factors such as the size and location of stones and the patient’s overall health to provide the best treatment. So, if you are dealing with kidney stones and longing for relief, Flomax might be your ally, but remember to consult a doctor before taking any.

Because your kidney benefits from your overall wellness, it is worth mentioning the skinnyfit review, which is a dietary supplement line aimed at improving people’s overall health.

Using apple cider vinegar and the apple cider vinegar gummies could also help your kidneys stay healthy and prevent kidney stones. Apple cider vinegar has gained popularity for its many health benefits.

flomax kidney stone
An X-ray image of stones in an affected kidney.

Flomax Kidney Stone

Flomax or tamsulosin[2] is an alpha blocker that relaxes urinary tract muscles and aids the passage of kidney stones, reducing discomfort. While it does not dissolve stones, Flomax improves symptoms such as pain and frequent urination.

Flomax can enhance your quality of life by addressing kidney issues, providing relief from excruciating pain, and potentially avoiding costly procedures.

What Is Flomax?

Flomax is a medication that doctors commonly prescribe for patients with an enlarged prostate. It is called benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH for short, and belongs to a group of drugs known as alpha-blockers[3].

They relax the muscles in your prostate and bladder neck to improve urine flow. This means no more weak urine streams or constant bathroom trips. Flomax doesn’t just help the prostate; it also tackles kidney stones.

When a kidney stone obstructs the urinary pathway, Flomax helps the stones pass through by relaxing the muscles in the urinary tract, thus widening the pathway.

So, if you are dealing with an enlarged prostate or large kidney stones, Flomax just might be what you need. But remember, always consult with your doctor to see if Flomax is the right fit for you before taking any medications.

Flomax Kidney Stone: Dosage

flomax kidney stone
A microscopic view of kidney stones.

When treating kidney stones with Flomax, finding the proper dosage is key. Let us look into the recommended dosage guidelines and other important considerations:

Initial Dose

To start your treatment with Flomax for kidney stones[4], the typical initial dose is 0.4 milligrams (mg) once daily. This starting dose relaxes the muscles in your urinary tract and helps kidney stones pass smoothly.

Duration Of Treatment

The length of Flomax treatment for kidney stones varies depending on factors like stone size and location. The treatment typically lasts a few days to a few weeks.

Timing Of Administration

To maintain consistent levels of Flomax in your system, it is ‌recommended to take the medication at the same time each day. Taking Flomax after a meal with a glass of water can help minimize the chances of potential side effects[5], such as dizziness, back pain and diarrhea. Water inherently prevents kidney stone formation, as more water in your body dilutes the concentration of calcium and other minerals that form kidney stones. So how much water should you drink a day? 2.7 to 3.7 liters[6] is an ideal amount of water to drink daily.

Follow Healthcare Providers’ Guidance

Remember, medical practitioners would prescribe the appropriate dosage and regimen based on your specific condition and medical history to ensure optimal effectiveness and safety of the medication.

Also, when you consistently adhere to the prescribed dosage and instructions, you maximize the potential benefits of Flomax, which include relieving urinary symptoms and minimizing the risk of side effects or complications.

Flomax Kidney Stone: Side Effects

flomax kidney stone
Examining a kidney stone patient.

While Flomax treats kidney stones and can tackle urinary challenges, it has a few potential side effects. These include:

  • Dizziness
  • Headaches
  • Nasal congestion
  • Abnormal ejaculation

The effects are usually mild to temporary, but there could be rare concerns including:

  • Priapism (prolonged painful erection)
  • Severe dizziness or fainting
  • Signs of an allergic reaction

These require immediate medical attention.

Before starting Flomax, inform your doctor about any pre-existing conditions, allergies, or medications you are currently taking.

Everyone’s response to Flomax varies, but staying informed and communicating with your healthcare provider can help you manage these side effects.

Conclusion

Flomax is a valuable option for managing kidney stones and provides much-needed relief to anyone with urinary problems. By targeting the smooth muscles in the urinary tract, this medication facilitates the passage of stones, reducing pain and discomfort.

Flomax has also shown promising results in a clinical trial[7] for patients experiencing sharp and intense pain as it effectively reduces lower urinary tract symptoms and improves urinary flow.

Embracing the potential of Flomax can help you find relief from the challenges kidney stones cause.


+ 7 sources

Health Canal avoids using tertiary references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic researches from medical associations and institutions. To ensure the accuracy of articles in Health Canal, you can read more about the editorial process here

  1. and, D. (2023). Definition & Facts for Kidney Stones. [online] National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Available at: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases/kidney-stones/definition-facts#:~:text=into%20the%20urine.-,How%20common%20are%20kidney%20stones%3F,least%20once%20during%20their%20lifetime.
  2. Clinicaltrials.gov. (2023). Effect of Tamsulosin on Stone Expulsion and Pain Resolution in ED Patients With Ureterolithiasis – Full Text View – ClinicalTrials.gov. [online] Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00762424.
  3. Krishnan, K., Halajian, E.B., Guthmann, R.A. and Nashelsky, J. (2019). Alpha Blockers for Nephrolithiasis. American Family Physician, [online] 100(11), pp.710–712. Available at: https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2019/1201/p710.html.
  4. Urologyhealth.org. (2023). Kidney Stones: Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment – Urology Care Foundation. [online] Available at: https://www.urologyhealth.org/urology-a-z/k/kidney-stones.
  5. Medlineplus.gov. (2018). Tamsulosin: MedlinePlus Drug Information. [online] Available at: https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a698012.html.
  6. Harvard Health. (2016). How much water should I drink a day? – Harvard Health. [online] Available at: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-much-water-should-you-drink.
  7. Schulman (2023). Long-term use of tamsulosin to treat lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hyperplasia. The Journal of urology, [online] 166(4). Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11547074/.
Michael DiLeo

Medically reviewed by:

Maya Frankfurt

Michael DiLeo is a retired OBGYN and pelvic surgeon and also a retired health educator. He has many years of experience lecturing, writing newspaper articles, magazine features, web blogs, and even trade books. He also has extensive experience writing review articles on complex medical subjects at a professional's or layman's level. He has a lot of experience writing multiple-choice questions (ACT and SAT-style) to go with these review articles/lessons. He has served on admission committees for a major medical school and a residency program and knows how to edit admission essays for what these committees want to read.

Medically reviewed by:

Maya Frankfurt

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