"Millions of Australians suffering from kidney stones could soon get relief with researchers discovering a prostrate treatment can also help ease the painful condition. Patients with kidney stones were treated with the drug Tamsulosin in an Emergency Medicine Foundation Australasia EMF funded clinical trial run across five Australian hospital emergency departments. Trial leader and specialist emergency medicine physician at The Townsville Hospital Dr Jeremy Furyk said Tamsulosin was normally used to treat an enlarged prostate but the research team found the treatment could also assist the passage of large kidney stones in the urine. Kidney stones are a bit of a mystery occur frequently in the community and generally affect young healthy adults Dr Furyk said. It can be extremely painful to pass these jagged little crystallized minerals and its very common for sufferers to go to an emergency department for treatment.  Of more than  patients in the trial we found those who received Tamsulosin passed their large kidney stones more often than the placebo group.  This means patients with large stones might not need more complicated treatments including surgeries and this has potential to improve care and reduce costs. Were very excited because Tamsulosin treatment may also allow patients to be treated closer to home rather than needing referral to a major centre. EMF Australasia awarded more than  to support Dr Furyks research through its Queensland Research Program which is funded by the Queensland Government Department of Health.  EMF Australasia Chair Associate Professor Sally McCarthy said this research had the potential to help millions of Australians suffering with this extremely painful condition.  It may also have implications for patients living in rural and regional areas where access to urologists  the specialist doctors who treat this condition  can be limited. Up to  per cent of the Australian adult population and  in  people in the United States suffer from kidney stones which range in size from a grain of sand to a pearl or even larger and can be excruciating to pass through the urinary tract.  Dr Furyks research was recently published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine http About the Emergency Medicine Foundation  EMF is an Australasian nonprofit organisation funds innovative evidencebased emergency medicine research that will improve clinical practices to save lives as well as deliver significant economic benefits to the healthcare system. EMF runs two research grant programs  a national Rural and Remote program and a highly successful Queensland program  as well as a Research Support Network. The Foundation was established in  with the support of the Queensland Government. For more information visit http"