Kidney stones are a painful disorder of the urinary tract, affecting about 10% of Americans. Stones occur two times more often in men than in women. The pain of having a stone has been compared to that of childbirth. The stones grow slowly over several months or years and are made of hard deposits of various minerals, including calcium, uric acid, and oxalate.
Asymptomatic stones may be found by an x-ray for an unrelated condition. Or you may have symptoms such as:
People develop kidney stones because:
Other factors that increase the risk of kidney stones include:
If you are in extreme pain, your health care provider may give you a strong pain reliever. Your provider will need a urine sample to check for infection and to see if your urine is acidic or alkaline, which indicates the type of stone you have. You may need to collect your urine for 24 hours if this is not your first stone. Your provider will also take a blood sample and may request additional tests to confirm the diagnosis, such as a computed tomography scan (CT), ultrasound, or x-rays.
With time, the stone generally passes out of the body by itself. If it doesn't pass, or if you have severe pain, bleeding, fever, nausea, or can't urinate, your provider can shatter the stone with shock waves (an outpatient procedure), and the smaller pieces can pass with much less pain. In rare cases, surgery may be required.
In about 85% of cases, kidney stones are small enough to pass during urination. Passing usually occurs within 72 hours of the first symptoms. Taking pain relievers and drinking at least 6 to 8 glasses of water a day, plus one at bedtime and another during the night, usually enables the stone to pass more easily. You may need to urinate through a strainer to collect the stone and give it to your doctor for analysis. Surgery may be required for stones that are too large to pass on their own, or that may cause bleeding or tissue damage.
You may need pain medication while the stone is moving through your system. After it passes, you may need medication to prevent stones from forming again. Drugs may include:
Surgery is recommended for patients with severe pain that does not respond to medications, for those with serious bleeding, and persistent fever, nausea, or significant urinary obstruction. If no medical treatment is provided after surgery, stones recur in 50% of patients within 5 years.
Kidney stones require conventional medical attention. DO NOT treat kidney stones with alternative therapies. Alternative therapies may help aid in reducing the risk of recurrent episodes and increasing the overall vitality of the urogenital system. Start with nutritional guidelines for prevention of recurrence. Herbs and homeopathic remedies can be used for acute pain relief and long-term toning of the urinary tract if used under the guidance of a knowledgeable health care provider. Always tell your doctor about the herbs and supplements you are taking.
These nutritional tips may help promote overall health and prevent recurrence of kidney stones:
You may address nutritional deficiencies with the following supplements:
Herbs are a way to strengthen and tone the body's systems. As with any therapy, you should work with your provider to diagnose your problem before starting treatment. You may use herbs as dried extracts (capsules, powders, or teas), glycerites (glycerine extracts), or tinctures (alcohol extracts). Unless otherwise indicated, make teas with 1 tsp. (5 grams) herb per cup of hot water. Steep covered 5 to 10 minutes for leaf or flowers, and 10 to 20 minutes for roots. You may use tinctures alone or in combination as noted. Always tell your provider about any herbal therapies you may be using, as certain herbs can interfere with conventional medications.
Some of the most common remedies used for kidney stones are listed below. Usually, the dose is 3 to 5 pellets of a 12X - 30C remedy every 1 to 4 hours until your symptoms get better.
About 50% of patients pass the stone in 48 hours. If there are complications, your health care provider may refer you to a urologist or admit you to the hospital. After you pass the stone, keep drinking fluids, and change your diet to reduce the chance of forming stones in the future. Up to 50% of people who form stones will have a recurrence within 5 years of their original episode. They can dramatically reduce their risk of developing future stones by following general lifestyle recommendations (as indicated above).
Shock wave therapy is not appropriate for women of childbearing age. If you think you might be pregnant, tell your health care provider. Your provider will also want to rule out ectopic pregnancy or a ruptured ovarian cyst. Some studies also suggest that shock wave treatment may cause kidney damage, thereby increasing the risk of recurrent stone formation. In children who are on a ketagenic diet for intractable epilepsy, oral potassium citrate may be an effective preventive supplement against kidney stones (because it makes the urine more alkaline). Kidney stone formers have a slightly higher risk of developing heart disease and kidney cancer.
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Reviewed By: Steven D. Ehrlich, NMD, Solutions Acupuncture, a private practice specializing in complementary and alternative medicine, Phoenix, AZ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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