Natural Remedies for Kidney Stones
Kidney stone is a painful urinary tract problem that causes pain in the abdomen, side and back. Some of the effective natural remedies for kidney stone include drinking large amount of water, limiting animal protein in the diet, reducing salt and regular exercise.
Kidney stone is a common disorder of the urinary tract. On an average, about 10 percent of the world's population get kidney stones at some stage of their life. In medical terms, it is called renal calculi. As the name suggests, kidney stone is a hardened mass, resulted from the accumulation of acid salts and minerals present in the urine. The composition may vary according to the type of kidney stone. The most common type contains calcium, uric acid, oxalate and phosphate. In rare cases, kidney stones are developed due to the infection in the urinary tract. These stones are referred to as infection stone or struvite.
It is observed that some people are susceptible to formation of kidney stones than other. Though it is claimed that certain foods promote stone formation, it is not sure which foods aggravate the condition. An individual having a family history of kidney stone is at a higher risk of developing kidney stones than others. People with underlying kidney problems are also susceptible to this disorder. The symptoms of kidney stone include bloody or smelly urine, painful urination, nausea, vomiting, frequent urination and pain in the abdomen, side and back. In case of infection, chills and fever may accompany the symptoms.
Effective Remedies for Kidney Stones
Kidney stones are detected by conducting X-ray imaging test of the kidneys and urinary tract. Small kidney stones pass in the urinary tract and leave the body without causing any noticeable symptoms. Though there are surgical approaches to remove large kidney stones, many people prefer to opt for natural remedies to combat the disorder. In many cases, natural treatments are effective in flushing out the kidney stones.
One of the most effective natural remedies for kidney stones is to drink lots of water (about 3 liters) and increase fluid intake. Water and other liquids help in diluting the urine, which in turn, reduces the substance concentration that is responsible for the stone formation or stone enlargement. The ideal urine output for kidney stone patients is about 45-50 ounces per day.
Speaking about the food intake, an individual with urine stone should include fresh fruits and vegetables in the diet plan. However, green leafy vegetables like spinach and parsley are not recommended as they contain high amount of oxalate. Other foods that are to be avoided are peanut, beets, strawberries, wheat bran, chocolate, cola, caffeine, nuts and pasta. In addition, one should reduce the intake of salt, sugar, soda, alcohol, dairy products and refined foods.
Uric acid stone formation is exacerbated in people whose diet consists of large amounts of animal protein. An effective way to combat this problem is cutting down meat and sea fish in the daily diet. Excess vitamin C is harmful for people with kidney stones, as this vitamin converts into oxalate (in higher doses). Hence, it is advisable to rely on foods for vitamin C, rather than administering the supplements.
Over-the-counter antacids are mostly based on calcium; the use of these medications may worsen the kidney stone problem. It is always better to avoid calcium containing antacids. Some of the popular home remedies for the removal of kidney stones are coconut water, pomegranate juice, tomato juice, apples, basil juice and herbal tea prepared by using silky tassels of sweet corn. Another effective natural remedy is to exercise regularly. Physical activities facilitate the movement of calcium from the bloodstream to the bones, thus lowering the chances of stone formation.
Following these natural remedies will help in expelling the stone out of the body. In case of a kidney stone that does not pass on its own after following the natural remedies, the physician may conduct certain laboratory procedures to remove it. Some of the common procedures include shock waves (waves given to break a large stone into smaller particles), tunnel surgery (removal of kidney stone by creating a small tunnel in the back portion) and ureteroscope (cutting and removing kidney stones by inserting device in the urethra).
It is observed that some people are susceptible to formation of kidney stones than other. Though it is claimed that certain foods promote stone formation, it is not sure which foods aggravate the condition. An individual having a family history of kidney stone is at a higher risk of developing kidney stones than others. People with underlying kidney problems are also susceptible to this disorder. The symptoms of kidney stone include bloody or smelly urine, painful urination, nausea, vomiting, frequent urination and pain in the abdomen, side and back. In case of infection, chills and fever may accompany the symptoms.
Effective Remedies for Kidney Stones
Kidney stones are detected by conducting X-ray imaging test of the kidneys and urinary tract. Small kidney stones pass in the urinary tract and leave the body without causing any noticeable symptoms. Though there are surgical approaches to remove large kidney stones, many people prefer to opt for natural remedies to combat the disorder. In many cases, natural treatments are effective in flushing out the kidney stones.
One of the most effective natural remedies for kidney stones is to drink lots of water (about 3 liters) and increase fluid intake. Water and other liquids help in diluting the urine, which in turn, reduces the substance concentration that is responsible for the stone formation or stone enlargement. The ideal urine output for kidney stone patients is about 45-50 ounces per day.
Speaking about the food intake, an individual with urine stone should include fresh fruits and vegetables in the diet plan. However, green leafy vegetables like spinach and parsley are not recommended as they contain high amount of oxalate. Other foods that are to be avoided are peanut, beets, strawberries, wheat bran, chocolate, cola, caffeine, nuts and pasta. In addition, one should reduce the intake of salt, sugar, soda, alcohol, dairy products and refined foods.
Uric acid stone formation is exacerbated in people whose diet consists of large amounts of animal protein. An effective way to combat this problem is cutting down meat and sea fish in the daily diet. Excess vitamin C is harmful for people with kidney stones, as this vitamin converts into oxalate (in higher doses). Hence, it is advisable to rely on foods for vitamin C, rather than administering the supplements.
Over-the-counter antacids are mostly based on calcium; the use of these medications may worsen the kidney stone problem. It is always better to avoid calcium containing antacids. Some of the popular home remedies for the removal of kidney stones are coconut water, pomegranate juice, tomato juice, apples, basil juice and herbal tea prepared by using silky tassels of sweet corn. Another effective natural remedy is to exercise regularly. Physical activities facilitate the movement of calcium from the bloodstream to the bones, thus lowering the chances of stone formation.
Following these natural remedies will help in expelling the stone out of the body. In case of a kidney stone that does not pass on its own after following the natural remedies, the physician may conduct certain laboratory procedures to remove it. Some of the common procedures include shock waves (waves given to break a large stone into smaller particles), tunnel surgery (removal of kidney stone by creating a small tunnel in the back portion) and ureteroscope (cutting and removing kidney stones by inserting device in the urethra).
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