Some researchers are advising patients to learn to live with kidney stones, or pass them through the natural way...both tortuous, painful possibilities.

Seems like the preferred method of eliminating stones--Shock-wave lithotripsy--may increase the likelihood of both diabetes and hypertension.

Ouch. As if the condition weren't painful enough already.

Of course, more research needs to be done, though some physicians are embracing the study.

SWL was also linked to diabetes. Nearly 17 percent of SWL-treated patients developed diabetes during follow-up and treatment with SWL more than tripled the risk of diabetes. The risk of diabetes was directly related to both the number of shocks given and the intensity of treatment.

SWL may promote hypertension by causing scarring in the kidneys and altering the secretion of blood pressure-modulating hormones, the authors hypothesize. The link with diabetes may relate to damage inflicted upon the pancreas, they add.

What do you think? Would you chance the treatment, or live with the pain? if you're not willing to try either option, the Cure Zone offers an exhaustive amount of information of both preventing and treating kidney stones the natural way, here.