Kidney stones (renal lithiasis,
nephrolithiasis) are small, hard mineral deposits that form inside your
kidneys. The stones are made of mineral and acid salts.
Kidney stones have many causes and can affect
any part of your urinary tract — from your kidneys to your bladder. Often,
stones form when the urine becomes concentrated, allowing minerals to
crystallize and stick together.
Symptoms
A kidney stone may not cause symptoms until
it moves around within your kidney or passes into your ureter — the tube
connecting the kidney and bladder. At that point, you may experience these
signs and symptoms:
- Severe pain in the side and back, below the ribs
- Pain that spreads to the lower abdomen and groin
- Pain that comes in waves and fluctuates in intensity
- Pain on urination
- Pink, red or brown urine
- Cloudy or foul-smelling urine
- Nausea and vomiting
- Persistent need to urinate
- Urinating more often than usual
- Fever and chills if an infection is present
- Urinating small amounts of urine
Pain caused by a kidney stone may change —
for instance, shifting to a different location or increasing in intensity — as
the stone moves through your urinary tract.
Causes
Kidney stones often have no definite, single
cause, although several factors may increase your risk.
Kidney stones form when your urine contains
more crystal-forming substances — such as calcium, oxalate and uric acid — than
the fluid in your urine can dilute. At the same time, your urine may lack
substances that prevent crystals from sticking together, creating an ideal
environment for kidney stones to form.
Types of
kidney stones
Knowing the type of kidney stone helps
determine the cause and may give clues on how to reduce your risk of getting
more kidney stones. Types of kidney stones include:
- Calcium stones. Most kidney stones are calcium
stones, usually in the form of calcium oxalate. Oxalate is a naturally
occurring substance found in food. Some fruits and vegetables, as well as
nuts and chocolate, have high oxalate levels. Your liver also produces oxalate.
Dietary factors, high doses of vitamin D, intestinal bypass surgery and
several metabolic disorders can increase the concentration of calcium or
oxalate in urine. Calcium stones may also occur in the form of calcium
phosphate.
- Struvite stones. Struvite stones form in response
to an infection, such as a urinary tract infection. These stones can grow
quickly and become quite large, sometimes with few symptoms or little
warning.
- Uric acid stones. Uric acid stones can form in
people who don't drink enough fluids or who lose too much fluid, those who
eat a high-protein diet, and those who have gout. Certain genetic factors
also may increase your risk of uric acid stones.
- Cystine stones. These stones form in people with a
hereditary disorder that causes the kidneys to excrete too much of certain
amino acids (cystinuria).
- Other stones. Other, rarer types of kidney stones also can
occur.
Remedies
for Kidney Stones
1. Water
In order to
remove kidney stone, drink plenty of water. Drinking water will help to pass
out the kidney stone.
2. Figs
Figs can be
very helpful, when it comes to kidney stone. Take two figs and boil them in a
cup of water. Drink boiled fig water in the morning for 1 month.
3. Basil
Take 1 table
spoon of basil juice and mix it with 1 tbsp honey. Take this mixture daily in
the morning for at least 3 to 4 months.
4. Apple
Apple helps
a lot in removing almost all the diseases from our body. Therefore, eat apples
twice a day.
5.
Watermelon
Watermelon
contains 91% of water. Eat it or drink the watermelon’s juice. It is very good
in kidney stones.
6. Radish
Leaves
Radish
leaves are a very good source for providing vitamin B6. Drink 1 cup juice of
fresh radish leaves, two times a day.
7. Kidney
Beans
Boil 60 gm
kidney beans in 4 litres of water for 4 to 5 hours. Now, strain the liquid and
allow it cool, naturally. Drink one glass of kidney beans juice in every 2
hours. Do not use this liquid after 24 hours.
8. Horse Gram
Powder
Boil half
litre of water and add 1 cup horse gram in it. Boil till the mixture reduces to
its 1/5 part. Strain the boiled mixture and add 2 tablespoon of crushed
pomegranate. Drink this prepared soup, once a day.
9. Lemon
Juice
Drink 2-3
glasses of water a day, with some lemon juice in it.
10.
Celery Juice
Take raw
celery and squeeze fresh juice from it. This fresh celery juice will help to
reduce the level of pain and provide relief.
11.
Pomegranate
Eat 1 whole
pomegranate or drink juice of pomegranate, regularly.
12.
Nettle Leaf
Nettle leaf
is also known as kidney cleanser. Take 1 cup of hot water. Add 2 tablespoons of
dried nettle leaf to it. Steep this water for like 10 minutes and strain it.
Drink this nettle leaf tea, 2 to 3 times a day.
13. Apple
Cider Vinegar
Consume 1
tablespoon of apple cider vinegar on the daily basis. You can drink it mixing
in water.
14.
Cranberry Juice
Consuming
cranberry juice on a daily basis can help to dissolve the kidney stone.
15.
Horsetail Tea
Horsetail
tea is an herbal remedy for kidney stone. Consuming 3 to 4 cups of horsetail
tea daily can be very beneficial.
16.
Dandelion Root
Consuming
500 mg of dandelion root on the daily basis can be helpful. Take it twice a day.
17.
Grapes
Grape is a
natural home remedy for kidney stones. Grapes can be a big help in eliminating
kidney stones.
18. Lemon
and Olive Oil
Take 2
ounces of organic olive oil and mix it with 2 ounces of fresh lemon juice.
Drink it right away. After drinking it, drink 12 oz of water (purified). After
30 minutes, consume water, containing juice of half lemon and 1 tablespoon of
apple cider vinegar. This is a superb home remedy for kidney stone pain. This
herbal remedy will dissolve the renal stone in a natural way.
19. Whole
Wheat Bread
Consume 2-3
slices of whole wheat bread on the daily basis. It is rich in proteins,
nutrients and fiber and reduces the risk of renal stones.
20. Uva
Ursi Herb
Uva ursi,
also known as bearberry, has been proven to be beneficial in kidney stones.
Consume 500 mg of uva ursi herb on the daily basis, twice a day.
21.
Magnesium
Consume 300
mg magnesium on the daily basis.
22.
Tomato Juice
Add a dash
of pepper and salt in a glass of tomato juice and drink it every morning to get
rid of renal stones.
REMEMBER
Factors that
increase your risk of developing kidney stones include:
- Family or personal history. If
someone in your family has kidney stones, you're more likely to develop
stones, too. And if you've already had one or more kidney stones, you're
at increased risk of developing another.
- Dehydration. Not drinking
enough water each day can increase your risk of kidney stones. People who
live in warm climates and those who sweat a lot may be at higher risk than
others.
- Certain diets. Eating a
diet that's high in protein, sodium and sugar may increase your risk of
some types of kidney stones. This is especially true with a high-sodium
diet. Too much sodium in your diet increases the amount of calcium your
kidneys must filter and significantly increases your risk of kidney
stones.
- Being obese. High body
mass index (BMI), large waist size and weight gain have been linked to an
increased risk of kidney stones.
- Digestive diseases and surgery. Gastric bypass surgery, inflammatory bowel disease or chronic diarrhea can cause changes in the digestive process that affect your absorption of calcium and water, increasing the levels of stone-forming substances in your urine.