Bracing for your first extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) procedure? The thought of your urologist “blasting” your stones into fragments can definitely cause some unease. But breathe easy, this guide is designed to shed light on everything you need to know.

As the leading kidney stone treatment in the U.S, ESWL is a wholly non-invasive kidney stone treatment, best suited for kidney stones smaller than 20mm. Each procedure generally lasts between 45 minutes to an hour.