This blog explains best homeopathic remedies for kidney stone, its causes, symptoms, risk factors, management & complete treatment.
Kidney stones also known as renal calculi or urolithiasis, are hard deposits made of minerals and salts that form inside one or both the kidneys.
When the stones pass through the urinary tract it can be very painful, but if identified at right time and if proper medications are taken the problem is resolved.
Sometimes depending on the individual situation drinking lots of water to pass the kidney stone that is very minute in size, is helpful.
At times surgery may be needed if kidney stones become lodged in the urinary tract, and lead to urinary infection or cause other complications.
Often, kidney stones form when the urine becomes concentrated, allowing minerals to crystallize and stick together and merge to form a stone.
Kidney Stone Types
Knowing the type of kidney stone helps in determining its cause, and can aid in how to reduce one’s risk of getting kidney stones
Types of kidney stones :
- Calcium stones:-Majority of kidney stones are calcium stones and are usually in the form of calcium oxalate.
Oxalate is a substance made daily by the liver or absorbed from your diet.
High oxalate content is found in certain fruits and vegetables, as well as nuts and chocolate.
Dietary factors, intestinal bypass surgery, high doses of vitamin D, and certain metabolic disorders can cause an increase in the concentration of calcium or oxalate in urine.
They can occur in the form of calcium phosphate, this type of stone is more common in metabolic disorders the conditions, like renal tubular acidosis.
They are known to be associated with the use of a few medications in treating migraines and seizures, like topiramate -Topamax.
Struvite stones: –
It is formed as a response to a recurrent urinary tract infection.
These stones can grow very fast and become quite large with very few warning symptoms.
- Uric acid stones:-
Uric acid stones can form in people who lose too much fluid or suffer from dehydration because of chronic diarrhea or malabsorption.
It is usually commonly found in people who eat a high-protein diet, and in diabetics or who have metabolic syndrome.
Certain genetic factors are also responsible for uric acid stones.
Cystine stones:-
Cystine stones are commonly observed in individuals who have a hereditary disorder called cystinuria, in this disorder, the kidneys excrete specific amino acids in excess leading to the formation of cystine crystals.
Kidney stone – Causes
Kidney stones often have no definite, single cause, several factors may lead to a kidney stone.
Kidney stones form when your urine contains more crystal-forming substances like calcium, oxalate, and uric acid than the fluid in your urine can dilute.
At times urine may lack substances that prevent crystals from sticking together, creating an ideal environment for kidney stones to form.
1)Certain diseases:-
Diseases like Diabetes and some metabolic disorders, malabsorption syndrome, intestinal bypass surgery, and chronic diarrhea can be the precipitating cause for the formation of kidney stones.
2)Genetic factors:-
Some hereditary disorders like cystinuria and inherited metabolic diseases can lead to the formation of kidney stones.
3)Frequent urinary tract infections:-
Frequent urinary tract infection leads to the development of kidney stones early.
4)Certain medications:-
It has been concluded from clinical data that people with certain medications for migraines and seizures develop kidney stones.
Kidney stone -Symptoms
A kidney stone usually causes symptoms when the stone moves around within the affected kidney or when it passes into the ureters and the size of the stones is exceeding the diameter of the tubes connecting the kidneys and the bladder.
When the stone gets lodged in the ureters the patient will experience the signs and symptoms like:
- Serious, sharp pain in the affected side and back and below the ribs
- Pain that radiates to the lower abdomen and groin in the affected side
- Sometimes the pain comes in waves and fluctuating intensity
- Pain or burning sensation while passing urine
Other signs and symptoms:
- Urine can be pink, red, or brown
- At times the urine can be cloudy or foul-smelling
- Increased frequency to urinate, urinating more often than usual or urinating in small amounts and frequently
- A person can experience nausea and vomiting
- Whenever an infection is present there can be fever and chills
Pain caused by a kidney stone may change or increase in intensity when the stone is moving or passing to a different location through the urinary tract.
In such cases the common symptoms are:
- Bloating of the abdomen is related to abdominal pain, and cramps.
- There can be diarrhea or constipation, or both.
Serious signs and symptoms of Kidney stone:
- Swallowing food becomes difficult
- Nightly diarrhea
- The patient complains of persistent pain in the abdomen and back that is not at all relieved
- Nausea and vomiting
- Weight reduction
Complications of Kidney stone
One should visit a doctor, on suffering from any signs and symptoms that worry you.
If the kidney stone becomes lodged in the ureters, it may block the flow of urine causing incontinence of urination and causing the kidney to swell and the ureter to spasm, which is very painful.
Immediate medical attention is needed if one experiences:
- Severe pain that one can’t sit still or find a comfortable position to rest
- Pain in the abdomen and back with nausea and vomiting
- Pain along with fever and chills
- At times blood in the urine
- The passing of urine becomes difficult
Risk Factors For Kidney stone
Factors that promote the risk of developing kidney stones are:
- Family or personal history:-
When someone in your family has had kidney stones, you’re at more risk to develop kidney stones.
If one has already had one or more kidney stones, then there is an increased risk of developing another stone in the future.
- Dehydration:-
If one doesn’t drink enough water every day, this habit can increase the risk of formation of kidney stones.
People who live in warm, dry climates and those who sweat more are at a higher risk than others to develop a Kidney stone.
- Digestive disorders and surgery:-
People who have undergone gastric bypass surgery or have inflammatory bowel disease or chronic diarrhea can develop a few changes in the digestive process that affect the absorption of calcium and water, these changes cause increasing the amounts of stone-forming substances in your urine.
- Certain diets:-
Eating meals that are high in protein, salt, and sugar may increase the risk of certain types of kidney stones.
This is usually true with a high-salt content diet.
Diet with too much salt increases the amount of calcium your kidneys must filter and significantly increase the risk of developing kidney stones.
- Certain medications and supplements:-
Vitamin C, vitamin D, and dietary supplements tend to increase the risk of formation of Kidney stones.
Certain medications like calcium-based antacids, a few laxatives -when used excessively, and medicines used to treat migraines or depression, or seizures, can lead to an increased risk of developing Kidney stones.
- Obesity:-
High body mass index (BMI), large waist size, and weight gain have been always associated with the increased risk of kidney stones.
- Other medical disorders:-
Diseases like renal tubular acidosis, cystinuria, hyperparathyroidism, and repeated urinary tract infections usually increase one’s risk of developing kidney stones.
Diagnosis of Kidney stone
When a doctor suspects that one has a kidney stone, he may advise diagnostic tests and procedures, like:
- Urine testing:-
The 24-hour urine collection is done in this test, it may show that patient is excreting too many stones or forming minerals in the body or too few stones, or in identifying the preventing substances.
For this test, the doctor may request that you perform two urine collections for two consecutive days.
- Blood testing:-
Blood tests may reveal too much calcium or uric acid that is circulating in the blood.
Blood test results help monitor the health of the Kidneys and may lead your doctor to other medical conditions if present.
- Imaging:-
Imaging tests may show the exact location of Kidney stones in the urinary tract.
High-speed or dual energy computerized tomography (CT) will help in revealing even tiny stones present in Kidney tissue.
Simple abdominal X-rays are used less because this imaging test can miss out on the small to tiny Kidney stones.
Ultrasound-sonography is a noninvasive test that is quick and easy to perform, compared to other imaging options to diagnose kidney stones.
- Chemical analysis of stones:-
The patient may be asked to urinate through a strainer to catch stones that are passed if there is a frequent recurrence of kidney stones.
Lab analysis will reveal the chemical content or type of kidney stones.
The doctor will use this information to identify what is causing the kidney stones and form a proper treatment plan to prevent more kidney stones.
Kidney stone Management
Treatment for kidney stones varies, as it is, dependent on the cause and type of kidney stone.
Small Kidney stones treatment
Small kidney stones will not require any invasive treatment, Patient may be able to pass a small stone by:
- Drinking water:-
The doctor will advise you to drink as much as 1.8 to 3.6 liters of water a day as it will keep the urine dilute and may prevent kidney stones from forming.
Drinking enough water is very useful to produce clear or nearly clear urine and keep the kidneys healthy or toxin-free.
- Medical therapy:-Doctor may prescribe a few medications to help pass the kidney stone.
This type of medication also known as an alpha-blocker, relaxes the muscles in the ureter, helping to pass the kidney stone more quickly and with less pain.
For examples of
Alpha-blockers include tamsulosin -Flomax.
The drug combination of dutasteride and tamsulosin -Jalyn.
- Pain relievers:- Passing of small stones can cause some discomfort, for mild pain, the doctor may recommend pain relievers such as ibuprofen -Advil, or naproxen sodium -Aleve.
Large stones treatment
Kidney stones that are large when passed on their own, cause bleeding, and kidney damage.
If there are ongoing urinary tract infections, they may require more extensive treatment.
Various procedures may be advised like :
- Sound waves to break the kidney stones:-For a few kidney stones, depending on the size and location, the doctor may recommend a procedure called extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy -ESWL.
ESWL uses sound waves to create strong vibrations or shock waves that break the stones into tiny pieces, these pieces can be passed in the urine.
It’s a procedure of 45 to 60 minutes and can cause moderate pain, so the patient may be under light anesthesia to make the procedure a little comfortable.
The patient should get admitted to the hospital as this procedure may cause blood in the urine, bruising on the back or abdomen, bleeding around the kidney and other adjacent organs, and sometimes discomfort as the stone fragments pass through the urinary tract.
- Surgery:- A procedure called percutaneous nephrolithotomy involves surgically removing a kidney stone using small telescopes and instruments inserted through a small incision in the back of the patient.
In this process, the patient will receive general anesthesia during the surgery and be in the hospital for one to two days while the patient recovers, doctors usually recommend this surgery if ESWL is unsuccessful.
- Scope to remove kidney stones:- To remove a smaller stone in the ureter or kidney, the doctor may pass a thin lighted tube called a ureteroscope equipped with a camera, through the urethra and bladder to the ureter.
Once the stone is located, special tools can snare the stone or break it into pieces so it will pass in the urine.
The patient may need general or local anesthesia during this procedure.
- Parathyroid gland surgery:- Some calcium phosphate stones are caused by overactive parathyroid glands, which are located on the four corners of the thyroid gland, just below Adam’s apple.
When these glands produce too much parathyroid hormone hyperparathyroidism, the calcium levels can rise and kidney stones may form.
Surgical removal of tumors in the gland or removing the parathyroid gland is done, as a treatment for calcium oxalate kidney stones.
Medications
The type of medication your doctor prescribes will be based on the kind of kidney stones you have.
For example:
- To prevent calcium stones from forming, the doctor may prescribe a thiazide diuretic or a phosphate-containing preparation.
- The doctor may prescribe allopurinol -Zyloprim, or Aloprim to reduce uric acid levels in the blood in case of uric acid stones.
- To prevent struvite stones use of antibiotics in small or intermittent doses may be helpful.
- The doctor may prescribe a medication that increases the solubility of cystine in the urine, in case of cystine stones.
Lifestyle and home remedies
A combination of lifestyle changes and medications is useful :
- Drink water:-Doctors usually recommend drinking enough fluids mostly water to pass at least 2 liters of urine a day to patients.
If the patient lives in a hot, dry climate or if one exercises frequently, one may need to drink more water to produce enough urine.
- Reducing intake of oxalate-rich foods:- If one tends to form calcium oxalate stones, doctors usually recommend restricting foods rich in oxalates.
The foods are beetroot, okra, spinach, sweet potatoes, nuts, tea, chocolate, black pepper, and soya.
- Choose a diet low in salt and animal protein:- Reducing the amount of salt one eats and choose non-animal protein sources, such as legumes, pulses, and cereals.
- Calcium supplements:-Before taking any artificial calcium supplements ask the doctor, as these have been linked to an increased risk of kidney stones.
Best Homeopathic Remedies for Kidney Stone
1. LYCOPODIUM CLAVATUM-Kidney stone with food intolerance
Symptoms
This is a great remedy when red sand appears in the urine, there is severe pain in the back mostly on the right side, particularly relieved on passing urine.
It is indicated when the general abdominal disturbance is present along with lots of flatulence.
Complaints aggravated between 4-8 pm and burning between the scapulae are the characteristic symptoms pointing towards the use of Lycopodium.
Potency & dosage
30 CH Potency,4 globules three times a day is used. Gradually, one can increase the potency depending upon the case’s progress.
2)PLUMBUM -For uric acid Kidney stone
Symptoms
This is a wonderful remedy for kidney stones with uric acid stones, there is dropsy, sallow face, emaciation, and edema about the ankles.
It is indicated when there is a granular generation of kidneys, the urine is scanty with yellow sediments.
Potency & dosage
200 CH Potency,4-8 globules daily ones are used. Gradually, one can increase the potency depending upon the case’s progress.
3) MERCURIUS COROSIVIS-For Kidney stones with inflammation of the kidneys
Symptoms
It is a useful remedy when there is albuminous nephritis, the urine is scanty, albuminous, and red sands or sediments in the urine.
This remedy is useful for people who have a pale waxen color of the body, with kidney stones, there are severe lumbar pains, great dyspnoea, and excessive strangury when passing urine.
There is a great pain from kidney stones and it progresses to nephritis and is useful in later stages when there is pus in the urine.
All the symptoms are aggravated at night.
Potency & dosage
30 CH Potency,4 globules three times a day is used. Gradually, one can increase the potency depending upon the case’s progress.
4) CANTHARIS VESICATORIA:-For Kidney stones burning in the ureter
Symptoms
Cantharis vesicatoria is a great remedy for kidney stones when there is an intense burning sensation on passing urine.
The burning sensation is usually present before the urine is passed and the burning might continue after urination.
There is soreness in the kidney region, there is cutting contracting pain from kidney to ureter, extending to the bladder, the urine is dark, scanty, sediments looking like old mortar or reddish sand.
Potency & dosage
30 CH Potency,4 globules three times a day is used. Gradually, one can increase the potency depending upon the case’s progress.
5) SARSAPARILLA OFFICINALIS-For Kidney stone on the right side
Symptoms
Sarsaparilla Officinalis is a wonderful remedy for kidney stones when there is an excessive burning sensation at the close of urination.
Sarsaparilla Officinalis is also prescribed for right-sided kidney stones.
Potency & dosage
30 CH Potency,4 globules three times a day is used. Gradually, one can increase the potency depending upon the case’s progress.
6) HYDRANGEA ARBORESCENS-For dissolving Kidney stone
Symptoms
Hydrangea arborescens is a wonderful remedy for kidney stones, it is known as the stone breaker as it is very effective in dissolving kidney stones.
It is used for dissolving kidney stones in the ureter and bladder.
When there are white deposits or yellow sand in urine, in such cases it is very useful.
Potency & dosage
30 CH Potency,4 globules three times a day is used. Gradually, one can increase the potency depending upon the case’s progress.
7) BELLADONNA:-For Kidney stones with sharp and shooting pain
Symptoms
It is an indicated remedy when kidney stones are accompanied by sharp and shooting pains.
It is indicated when there are sudden cramps and strains along the ureter while passing urine.
Potency & dosage
30 CH Potency,4 globules three times a day is used. Gradually, one can increase the potency depending upon the case’s progress.
8)BENZOIC ACID -For Kidney stones with offensive urine
Symptoms
It is indicated when there is intense colic pain along the ureters with offensive urine.
It is indicated when the urine is deep red and has a strong odor. It is highly effective when urine is thick and water-like clear in an alternative way.
Potency & dosage
30 CH Potency,4 globules three times a day is used. External application of ointment along with internal medicine is advisable.
9) BERBERIS VULGARIS -For Kidney stone on the left side
Symptoms
It is another very effective homeopathic medicine for kidney stones, used when there is shooting pain radiating from a point.
It is indicated when the patient may be unable to move or even sit on his painful side.
It is almost a specific remedy for kidney stones on the left side.
The urine is dark and turbid with copious sediment and urine flow becomes slow, this is one of the marked symptoms of prescribing this medicine.
Potency & dosage
Usually, mother tincture,10 drops, three times a day, is useful.
30 CH Potency,4 globules three times a day is used.
Gradually, one can increase the potency depending upon the case’s progress.
Remember that homeopathic remedies should be prescribed based on individual symptoms and characteristics. It’s crucial to consult with a qualified homeopath for proper evaluation and personalized treatment. Homeopathy focuses on treating the whole person, so a detailed case study is necessary to select the most appropriate remedy for this condition.
Homeopathic medicines should be taken only when prescribed by a homeopathic physician. Self-medication may aggravate the original conditions.