Home Remedies for Kidney Stones: How to Remove Kidney Stones?

Understanding Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are mineral and salt-based hard lumps that are present in one or both kidneys with different sizes and shapes. You may have them if you have intense pain in your back, side, or beneath your ribcage or you are experiencing frequent urination and wondering how to stop frequent urination. You might also experience pain or a burning sensation when urinating. 

Mostly stones pass from the kidneys to the bladder through urine but in the case of large stones, appropriate treatment is required to remove stones from the urinary tract.  These hard crystals may cause pain and discomfort as they move through the urinary tract. In some cases, blood or a pink, red, or brown hue may appear in the urine. The urine may smell bad or become cloudy.

Men are more likely to develop this condition than women. You are more prone to get kidney stones if kidney stones run in your family. If you have ever had kidney stones, your chances of getting them again are high. If you are taking treatment with diuretics, calcium-based antacids, a medicine called indinavir to treat HIV infections, and antiseizure medicine (topiramate), your chances of developing kidney stones get higher.  Learn more about kidney stones, their types, symptoms, causes, home remedies and preventive measures.

Types of kidney stones

Here are four major types of kidney stones. These are as follows:

• Calcium stone: It is the most prevalent kind.  75-85% of kidney stone cases are due to calcium stones. The consumption of food-based calcium does not raise the risk of developing calcium stones. Extra calcium that is not needed by your bones, muscles, or kidneys typically ends up in your urine. This extra calcium combines with other waste materials, such as oxalate, to create calcium stones in the kidney. Calcium oxalate, calcium urate, and calcium phosphate are the forms of calcium stones that occur in kidneys.
• Uric acid stones: This stone forms in mildly acidic urine with a pH of 5.5. It may occur due to a diet heavy in animal protein. This type of stone is easily detectable through X-rays. 
• Struvite: It is the less prevalent type and occurs due to infections in the upper urinary system such as UTI. 
• Cystine: This type of kidney stone appears in those with a family history of cystinuria. It is a rare condition in which stones made from called cysteine form in the kidney, ureter, and bladder. These stones have very high sulfur content therefore, these are very hard to detect on X-rays.

Causes of Kidney Stones 

Kidney stones may occur if you do not hydrate yourself enough. This can also increase the risk of kidney problems such as hematuria (blood in the urine). Protein, salt, and sugar-rich diets can raise the concentration of specific compounds in the urine that can crystallise and form stones, leading to kidney stones. It can also occur if you have a certain medical condition or are taking specific medicines. The main causes of kidney stones include: 

• Dehydration
• Obesity or digestive diseases 
• Repeated or recurrent UTIs 
• Blockage of the urinary tract
• Certain medications, such as indinavir, calcium-containing antacids, topiramate and diuretics.
• Inflammation of the bowel
• Cystic kidney diseases 
• Cystinuria
• Digestive problems
• history of gastrointestinal tract surgery
• Gout 
• Hypercalciuria (a syndrome that runs in families and involves abnormally high calcium levels in urine)
• Hyperoxaluria (a condition where the amount of oxalate in the urine is abnormally high)
• Hyperparathyroidism (a medical condition where an excess of parathyroid hormone is released by the parathyroid glands, leading to an excess of calcium in the blood)
• Hyperuricosuria (a condition when the urine contains excessive amounts of uric acid)
• Renal tubular acidosis ( a condition in which an individual’s blood remains excessively acidic due to the kidneys’ inability to eliminate acids from the urine)
• History of kidney stones

Also Read: Home Remedies to Reduce High Uric Acid Level

Symptoms of  Kidney Stones  

The symptoms of kidney stone appears when some stones remain in ureter and block the urine flow during pass out from kidney. If the stone is small enough, it may pass through the ureter without causing any problems. If the stone is big, it might remain in the kidney or pass into the ureter from the urinary system. The following symptoms could be caused by these kidney stones:

• Sharp pains in the lower abdomen, side, back, or groyne. The pain becomes suddenly too high and then comfort at the next moment.
• A persistent urge to urinate, pain when urinating 
• Hematuria, or pink, red, or brown blood in the urine
• Inability to urinate, or only being able to urinate little amounts
• Cloudy and bad-scented urine
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fever and chills

Risk Factors of Kidney Stones

Our diet plays a major role in the buildup of kidney stones. The amount of fluid intake, our body weight and genetic setup are also involved in it. Here are the main risk factors for kidney stones:

• Dehydration: Hydrating routine or less intake of fluid.
• Genetics: Cystinuria, that leads to cysteine stone formation is a genetic disease.
• Metabolic syndrome: Kidney stones can also develop by metabolic syndrome.
• Age: Increasing age is also a risk factor for kidney stone.
  

15 Home Remedies for Kidney Stones 

While doing an ultrasound if small stones are found in the kidney there will be no need for necessary treatment for small stones because they easily get off from the body by adequate hydration. Water consumption of 4-5 litres per day can positively help in the removal of stones from the body through the urine. The discomfort caused by small stones can be reduced by painkillers. However, larger stones can lead to kidney damage, internal bleeding, and increase the risk of UTIs. These stones may need to be removed with shock wave lithotripsy, Nephrolithotomy or Ureteroscopy. However, if the stone size is small, it can be resolved with a combination of medicines and home remedies. Here are a few effective home remedies on how to remove kidney stones through urine.

• Keep yourself active: Indulge in gentle walk or some light exercise, which can help to move the stone along and make it easier to pass.
• Use heating pads: Apply heat to your lower back can help to relax the muscles in that area, which can make it easier to pass a stone. A heating pad, hot water bottle, or warm bath can reduce pain and ease the symptom. 
• Drink plenty of water: Increase your daily fluid consumption by 4 to 5 liters. Kidney stones can be flushed out of the body by drinking a lots of water, so be sure to drink enough water to keep them moving along. 
• Fresh lemon juice: Add fresh lemon juice to your water. Water and lemon juice are best remedy for kidney stones. You can also have orange juice. It is also proven to help kidney stone removal.
• Apple cider vinegar: Try raw apple cider vinegar. You can mix this with a few litres of water to make it drink. This will also help break up the stones and can help prevent reoccurrence of kidney stones.
• Shatavari root (Asparagus racehorses): This herb improves diuretic activity. It also prevents the development of calcium oxalate stones. To prepare Shatavari root tea, boil it in water for 40 minutes, strain and have it. Drink 2 cups per day.
• Eat specific foods: Certain foods can help to reduce the risk of developing kidney stones. Include berries, grapes, cherries, apples, plums and veggies such as cauliflower, onions, turnips. Also eat a lots of carbs to help flush kidney stones.
• Adjust your Calcium intake: This may impact calcium oxalate formation. Although some studies have proved that calcium does not worsen stones, several supplements have been shown to impact the kidney stones development. If you have a history of developing calcium oxalate stones, your doctor can advise you on the calcium supplements intake.
• Gok Shura fruit/root (Tribulus Terrestris): This herb is a nephroprotective agent and is used to treat urinary tract disorders. It helps to prevent the early-stages of the formation of kidney stones. It also offers protection against kidney damage brought on by calcium oxalate. You can take half to one tsp of this herb in powder form.
• Increase your magnesium intake: Magnesium rich foods can also decrease the possibility of stone formation. It can bindto oxalate in the intestine, leading to less oxalate in the urine and reduce the likelyhood of calcium oxalate stones.
• Black cumin seed: These seeds have antihypertensive and diuretic properties. It can  avoid the formation of calcium oxalate stones. To prepare black cumin seeds tea, boil its seeds in water for 20 minutes, strain and have it.
• Gok Shura fruit/root (Tribulus Terrestris): This herb is a nephroprotective agent and is used to treat urinary tract disorders. It helps to prevent the early-stages of the formation of kidney stones. It also offers protection against kidney damage brought on by calcium oxalate. You can take half to one tsp of this herb in powder form.
• Stonebreaker/Chanca Piedra (Phyllanthus niruri): Due to its diuretic properties, it has a long history of use for avoiding and passing kidney stones. This herb’s regular use also assists in preventing kidney stone development. It also lowers urine calcium levels in people with hypercalciuria. To prepare Chanca Piedra tea, boil its seeds in water for 30 minutes, strain and have it.
• Ammi visnaga: This fruit’s extract fastens the kidney’s natural breakdown of cystine stones. The two main chemical components, khalin and visnagin, have been shown to be effective in treating kidney stones. It is available in the forms of drops. dosage Take 10-20 drops in water, 3 times daily.
• Hibiscus sabdariffa: It belongs to the family Malvaceae. It is used for the prevention and treatment of kidney stones. You can have it as tea. Brew 1.5 g of dried H. sabdariffa. Taken it twice daily for 15 days for about 2 weeks. It can significantly increased rate of uric acid excretion and renal clearance by urine.
• Pomegranate juice: It is a rich source of antioxidants which may ease the burning sensation in urine. It can revent the formation of calcium oxalate stones. The antioxidants may also show muscle relaxant properties, asssitingin the removal of stones from the kidney. Drinking fresh pomegranate juice daily may help easy passage of kidney stones.

Remember that these natural remedies to pass kidney stones can only help with smaller stones, and larger stones will be passed without medical procedures. If the stone is too large, causing persistant stabbing pain, or blocking the urine flow, consult your doctor right away.

Foods to avoid with kidney stones

Patients who already have expeirnced kidney stones once in their life run the chance of its reoccurence in the future. Here is the list of foods to avoid with kidney stones. You should avoid these foods as a precautionary measure to stop the recurrence of kidney stones.

• Cut on animal protein: Don’t lower your daily intake of animal protein to fewer than six ounces. Uric acid stones can occur in response to eating meat and other sources of animal protein like eggs and fish. because purines are present in them. Consuming less meat, especially if you already have stones, can lower your risk of developing uric acid stones.
• Avoid fizzy drinks: These drinks often contain high levels of phosphoric acid, which can increase the risk of developing certain types of kidney stones.
• Do not eat too much salt: Limit your daily salt intake to 2,300 mg. The kidneys expel more calcium because of sodium, which raises the risk of kidney stones. By reading food labels, you can monitor your sodium intake.
• Moderate caffeine: Caffeine can increase calcium excretion, potentially leading to the formation of calcium-based kidney stones. Limit caffeinated beverages, which can increase calcium excretion and potentially lead to stones.
• Watch sugar intake: Excessive sugar consumption can contribute to obesity and metabolic disorders that elevate the risk of kidney stone formation. Avoid excessive sugar to reduce the probability of stone formation.
• Limit foods rich in oxalates: Those who are at a high risk of getting calcium oxalate stones should stay away from foods high in oxalate, like spinach and many forms of beets.
• Avoid high doses of Vitamin C: When taken in high doses, vitamin C supplements can be transformed into oxalate within the body, increasing the risk of kidney stone formation. Therefore, it’s advisable to monitor your Vitamin C supplementation.
• Avoid fatty foods such as salad dressings, ice cream, and fried foods: It can keep you away from obesity which is a huge risk factor for kidney stones.

If you are susceptible to kidney stones. You can learn about foods that aid in kidney stone treatment from a dietician who specialises in kidney stone prevention. 

When to See a Doctor?

The kidney stones cause pain that is even worse than childbirth. The pain can come and go suddenly, feeling very intense one moment and then easing up the next. It’s like a sharp, stabbing pain that spreads from the back to the lower abdomen or genital area. If you also experience a sudden urge to urinate, urination with burning, or blood in urine you should consult a doctor immediately. These signs could indicate a serious illness or a kidney stone.

Conclusion 

Passing kidney stones can be a painful process, but there are several things you can do to help ease the pain and discomfort and pass the stones more quickly. You can try home remedies for kidney stones for their easy passage at home. Adequate hydration, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, certain herbs and foods can help easy elimination of smaller stones. You should also avoid certain foods such as oxalate rich foods, fizzy drinks, animal protein and other weight gaining foods to prevent kidney stones formation. So, if you are dealing with kidney stones, now you know how you can pass them safely.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)