Kidney stones are one of the most common urologic disorders and one of the most painful ones too. They are basically solidified concretions of the crystals which normally are present in the dissolved form in urine.
Kidney stones are more common in middle-aged adults than in the elderly and are much more prevalent in men as compared to women.
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People living in hot climates may be more prone to kidney stones because their bodies are likely to get dehydrated thus concentrating the minerals in the urine. Recurrence of kidney stones after conventional treatment or surgery is a common phenomenon.
Stones can form in the urinary tract because of high levels of calcium, phosphate, uric acid or cystine in the urine. Kidney stones usually form in the centre of the kidney where the urine collects before flowing into the ureter (the tube the leads to the bladder). Stones are created when certain substances in urine crystallize and the crystals clump together.
Small stones are able to pass out of the body in the urine and often go completely unnoticed. But larger stones irritate and stretch the ureters as they move towards the bladder, thus causing excruciating pain and blocking the flow of urine. Sometime, a stone can be as large as a golf ball, in which case it remains lodged in the kidney. Stones can cause infection and obstruction to the flow of urine. If a stone is stuck in the ureter blocking the flow of urine, surgery may be necessary.
There are 5 different types of kidney stones based on their composition and these are:
- Calcium oxalate stones (composed of Calcium Oxalate)
- Calcium Phosphate stones (composed of Calcium Phosphate)
- Uric acid stones (composed of Uric acid)
- Cystine stones (composed of Cystine)
- Struvite stones (composed of Ammonium, Magnesium and phosphates)
Following are some of the common causes of Kidney stones:
- Hereditary
- People suffering from gout, parathyroid problems, inflammatory bowel diseases and chronic urinary tract infection are predisposed to stone formation
- Increase calcium intake i.e. more than the required amount (e.g. intake of too much of chocolates, strawberries, etc)
- Decrease in fluid intake may precipitate formation of stones
- Prolonged bed rest
- Chronic use of antacids containing calcium
- Dietary deficiency of Vitamin B6 and magnesium and excessive amounts of Vitamin D
- Increase in uric acid level
- Hot weather leads to increased fluid output thus reducing the fluid in body and thus precipitating stone formation
- Waves of sharp or cramping pain in the side (lumbar region) radiating down to the groin and/or abdomen
- Nausea and vomiting
- Profuse sweating
- Red urine (blood in urine)
- Blocked flow of urine
- Painful or excruciating urination
- In case of an infection along with the above mentioned symptoms there may be,
- Fever with chills
- Frequent urge to pass urine
- Cloudy or foul-smelling urine
- Infection (pyelonephritis) due to blockage of flow of urine
- Scarring from large stones and prolonged obstruction to urine outflow may result in kidney failure
- A kidney stone is suspected
- There are waves of sharp pain in the side of the abdomen with no improvement in 2 hours. Other serious conditions such as gallstones, pelvic inflammatory disease or intestinal obstruction may also be the cause of pain. Seek immediate help
- Infection is suspected
- There is pain or difficulty with urination. This could also be a sign of bladder infection, sexually transmitted disease, vaginitis, enlargement of the prostate, bladder or prostate tumour. See a doctor immediately
- There is blood in the urine. It may indicate kidney disease, a bladder or kidney tumour, or a urinary or prostate infection. See a doctor without delay
- Hot pads or hot water bags (or an ice pack) over abdomen may help to relieve pain
- Drink plenty of fluids, 10-15 glasses of water per da-y
- Never let yourself become dehydrated
- Avoid alcohol, chocolate, tea, tomatoes, citrus fruit, spicy food, vinegar during infection; they irritate the urinary tract
- Blood and urine tests help determine the presence of stones
- A simple X-ray or a special one (IVP, intravenous pyelogram) help to view the kidneys and the stone
- An ultrasound scan helps reveal the size and location of the stone
- Urinate as soon as possible when the urge is felt and empty the bladder completely
- Drink 3-5 litres of water if you are suspected of having a stone or if you are doing strenuous work in a hot humid climate. But if you live in an area that has hard water, do not drink more than 2 litres a day
- Avoid milk and milk products if you are prone to develop kidney stones
- Also avoid chocolates, beans, beets, spinach, celery, asparagus
- Avoid strawberries, grapes, rhubarb, plums, etc
- Avoid red meat which causes uric acid levels to increase
- Avoid egg, meat, fish, liver oils if suffering from crystal stones
- Avoid foods that raise uric acid levels like sardines, organ meats, anchovies
- Avoid foods containing sucrose and lactose
- Reduce uric acid by eating a low-protein diet
- Reduce salt intake to no more than 3 grams per day
- Increase fibre-intake like bran
- Beer is good for flushing out the stone but do not over-indulge
- Barley water helps is removing stones
- Increase intake of Vitamin A rich foods
- Avoid high-dose long-term supplementation with Vitamin C
- Take Vitamin B6 and magnesium supplements
- Avoid calcium containing pain-killers
- Avoid calcium, Vitamin D supplements and calcium containing antacids which can increase calcium oxalate levels
- Increase exercise but avoid strenuous exercise that can get you dehydrated
- Lose excess weight
- Never self-medicate
| Homoeopathic treatment | Top |
Homeopathy has very good scope in the treatment of Kidney stones. In case of smaller stones, homeopathy can help in the expulsion of the stones within as less discomfort as possible. In cases of larger or impacted stones, surgical intervention may be necessary but even in such cases Homeopathy can help in preventing the recurrence of the stones, which is a very common phenomenon. The main advantage of homeopathic treatment is that the treatment is targeted towards the underlying basic tendency to form kidney stones. Homeopathy an also offer excellent pain control in cases where the stone had passed from the kidneys into the ureter. Homeopathy is strongly suggested for all cases of kidney stones.
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