What are kidney stones? Causes, Precautions and Homeopathic Medicines

Kidney stones or renal calculi or nephrolithiasis is a condition where there are hard deposits of minerals and salts in the renal tract. A kidney stone is a hard, crystalline mineral formed within the kidney or urinary tract. Kidney stones have many causes and can affect any part of the urinary tract from the kidneys to your bladder. The stones form when the urine becomes concentrated, allowing minerals to crystallize and cloud together.

The formation of stones at any location in the urinary tract is referred to as urolithiasis, and the term ureterolithiasis is used to refer to stones located in the ureters. These stones are made of different types of materials, and their further treatment depends on their type. Almost 80% of stones are calcium grains and 5-10% stones are Uric acid stones. Kidney stones strike more men than women.

What are the Signs of Kidney Stones?

Most of the time they form quietly in the kidney without revealing any particular sign. At times, it causes severe pain with other associated symptoms. When these mineral or salt masses try to enter the ureter from the kidney or seek to pass down from the urinary bladder to the urethra, it provokes discomfort. The pain originating from kidney stones is felt in the lower abdomen, and lower back and often extends to the groin area or genitals. Here are the symptoms of kidney stones:

1. Swelling and weight gain from fluid buildup (edema)

Your kidneys are supposed to eliminate waste from the body but if it is not able to do so properly, then the fluid is retained causing swelling in the tissue. You can even gain weight due to this.

2. Urination

Kidneys remove excess fluid from the body in the form of urine. More fluid being stuck in your tissues translates to less of it being flushed out of your body. You may notice blood in the urine resulting from a stone rubbing against the inside of your ureter. Pain in urination, Pink, red or brown urine, Discoloration or strong-smelling urine and Less quantity of dark urine are some other factors.

3. Feeling very tired or sleepy

Kidneys are also responsible for regulating a person’s hemoglobin level. If the level of hemoglobin goes awry, then you can end up anemic, which may cause your energy levels to plummet.

4. Other health issues

Losing your appetite, feeling nauseated, or having trouble thinking clearly are some of the problems that may occur when waste builds up in your system and starts to mess with other parts of your body, including your stomach and your brain. Fever, chills, and severe pain in the side and back, and below the ribs, are some more health issues that occur due to kidney stones.

5. Rising blood pressure

Once the kidneys are damaged, they can’t effectively control blood pressure. This may cause a rise in blood pressure, which can further damage the blood vessels in the kidneys by scarring and weakening them.

6. Having palpitations

If your kidney is not functioning properly and there is a buildup of potassium, you might notice an abnormal heartbeat

What are the main causes of Kidney stones?

Kidney stones often have no definite cause, but several factors may increase the risk. Kidney stones form when the urine contains an increased concentration of crystal-forming substances such as calcium, oxalate and uric acid and a lack of water to dilute the urine in the body. Stones are more commonly found in individuals who drink very less water. The urine becomes more acidic and this leads to the formation of kidney stones.

At the initial stage, these stones are small, but they can grow and cause problems. Sometimes these stones travel down the ureter, and kidney and reach the bladder. While entering the bladder, it may pass out of the body through urine or become lodged in the ureter itself.

These stones ground blockage the flow of urine and result in pain and discomfort. Dehydration is one of the principal risk factors responsible for the formation of kidney stones.

Causes

• Family or personal history: People with a family history of kidney stones are more likely to develop stones.
• Dehydration: Not drinking enough water each day can increase the risk of kidney stones.
• Certain diets: A diet high in protein, sodium, and sugar increases the risk of some types of kidney stones. This is especially true with a high-sodium diet. Too much salt in the diet increases the amount of calcium in the kidneys.
• Obesity: High body mass index, 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 affects the digestive functions thereby affecting the absorption of calcium and water. This increases the levels of stone-forming substances in the urine.
• Certain medicines and medical conditions: Medical conditions like urinary tract infections, renal tubular acidosis, hyperparathyroidism, inflammatory bowel diseases, Crohn’s disease, Medullary sponge kidney increase the risk of kidney disease.
• Excessive vitamin C and D and uric acid also increase the risk of kidney stone formation.

Types of kidney stones

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 content. Dietary factors, high doses of vitamin D, and several metabolic disorders can increase the concentration of calcium or oxalate in urine.

Struvite stones: Struvite stones are formed due to an infection, such as a urinary tract infection. These stones can grow quickly and become quite large, with few symptoms.

Uric acid stones: Uric acid stones usually form in people who do not drink enough fluids, who eat a high-protein diet, and people with 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.

Precautions to take to reduce the impact of Kidney Stones:

Management of kidney stones through diet

• Drinking enough water and fluids such as juice, lemonade, etc.to make the urine completely clear and stay hydrated.
• The water in which the kidney beans boiled can be consumed as it helps with the passage of stones.
• Take lots of basil, celery, apples, grapes and pomegranates.
• When the stones are due to low citrate levels citric fruit juices can be useful.
• Reduce the intake of oxalate-rich foods like nuts and nut products, peanuts which are legumes, not nuts, and are high in oxalate, rhubarb, spinach and wheat bran.
• Reduce the intake of salt, sugar and animal proteins.
• Drink 12 glasses of water a day.
• Citrus fruit, and their juice, can help reduce the formation of stones.
• The right food for kidney stones plays a very important part in the management of kidney stones. Eat food rich in calcium instead of taking supplements.
• The sources of calcium include milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, legumes, calcium-set tofu, dark green vegetables, nuts, seeds, and blackstrap molasses.
• Include fish, such as salmon, and egg yolks.
• Avoid tinned and canned products, fast food and salted snacks.
• Avoid taking or take food such as red meat, pork, chicken, poultry, fish, and eggs, in moderation as they increase the amount of uric acid and the acidity of the urine.
• Instead of animal protein, take vegetarian protein such as quinoa, tofu, hummus, chia seeds, and yogurt.
• Avoid chocolates, beets, nuts, tea and spinach.
• Avoid carbonated drinks and processed foods.
• Avoid alcohol and smoking.
• Avoid taking high doses of vitamin C.
• The DASH (full form: Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is recommended for many health problems including renal stones. It includes rich vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and low-fat dairy. It helps to limit the intake of sodium, sugar, and red meat.
• Increase the intake of magnesium from food sources like almonds, cashews, dry roasted, cereal, shredded wheat, soymilk, plain or vanilla, black beans.

Risk factors

• Intercourse: Kidney stones are more common in males than females
• Age: People between the ages of 30 and 50 years
• A family history of kidney stones
• History of a previous kidney stone
• Certain medications
• Prolonged usage of vitamin D and calcium supplements
• The diet that is high in protein and sodium
• Obesity and sedentary lifestyle
• Certain disease conditions such as high blood pressure, and conditions which affects the absorption of minerals such as inflammatory bowel disease, chronic diarrhea, etc.

What are various Homeopathic medicines for Kidney stones?

Homeopathy treatment for kidney stones is not doubted for its place as the best therapy to follow and to get rid of these massive stones entirely. Homeopathic remedies are very effective in preventing and treating renal stones. It has been widely used by many people to dissolve and remove renal stones without any surgical or laparoscopic procedures.

When taken with a proper diet and plenty of fluids, homeopathic remedies have proven to be the best choice of treatment for renal stones. It also has the tendency to prevent your body from future disposition.

Berberis vulgaris: Berberis Vulgaris is or kidney stone formed on the left side. The sensation of some urine remaining after urination and urine containing mucus with sediments. Bubbling sensation in kidneys.

Lycopodium clavatum: Lycopodium is used for right-sided complaints. Pain in the right kidney or right ureter. The pain worsens before urination.

Cantharis vesicatoria: Intense burning sensation on passing urine. The burning sensation is present before the urine is passed and might continue after urination.

Sarsaparilla officinalis: Excessive burning sensation at the close of urination, sarsaparilla officinalis is the answer to this. Sarsaparilla officinalis is also prescribed for right-sided kidney stones.

Hydrangea arborescens: It is known as the stone breaker as it is very effective in dissolving stones. It is used to strike kidney stones in the ureter and bladder. White deposits or yellow sand in urine.

Belladonna: It is used when kidney stones are accompanied by sharp and shooting pains. Sudden cramps and strains along the ureter while passing urine.

Benzoic acid: Intense colic with offensive urine. The urine is deep red in color and has a strong odor. The urine is thick and water-like clear in an alternative way.

Berberis vulgaris: Berberis Vulgaris is another effective homeopathic medicine for kidney stones. It is used when there is shooting pain radiating from a point. The patient may be unable to move or even sit on his painful side. The urine is dark and turbid in nature with copious sediment and urine flow becomes slow.

For people suffering from kidney stones, choosing homeopathic treatment for kidney stones will be a safe and effective alternative to any surgical intervention. Along with eliminating kidney stones, these medicines will relieve the pain and also eradicate a person’s tendency to developing stones recurrently.