Today lots of people are facing kidney stone problems. Kidney stones are solid masses made of crystals. These stones mostly develop in the kidney but can also occur in other parts like the ureter, bladder, and urethra. The causes behind kidney stones depend on their type and these stones can be very painful.
Types of kidney stones
Calcium stone
These are the most common type of kidney stones made of calcium oxalate. To reduce the risk of calcium kidney stones, you have to reduce eating items that contain high-oxalate foods like potato chips, spinach, chocolate, peanuts, etc.
Uric acid
Uric acid stones are also common and can mainly occur in people that are dealing with other conditions like diabetes, gout, obesity, or any illness related to metabolism. This stone develops when the urine gets too acidic. Food items that are rich in purines increase the acid level.
Cystine
This type of kidney stone can occur in people with the genetic disorder cystinuria. In this condition, cystine occurs naturally in the body and then leaks from the kidneys to urine.
Struvite
Struvite kidney stones mainly occur in people with urinary tract infections. These struvite stones can be large in size.
Common causes of kidney stones
A person can get kidney stones at any age but it mainly appears between the age of 20 to 50. Lots of factors can increase the risk of kidney stones. Men develop more kidney stones than women. If any person in the family has a stone, other members are also prone to this condition. Some other causes and risk factors for kidney stones are dehydration, obesity, gastric bypass surgery, hyperparathyroid condition, inflammatory bowel diseases, and food items with high salt, glucose, and protein level. Several medications can also cause kidney stones.
Symptoms of kidney stones
The main symptom of kidney stones is pain. A person can face lots of pain due to the stone. Other symptoms of kidney stones mainly appear when the stone starts moving down to the ureters. Men often get pain in the groin area. The pain often comes and goes from time to time. But the pain of kidney stones is very intense. Other symptoms of kidney stones are:
- Blood in urine
- Chills
- Nausea
- Foul-smelling urine
- Vomiting
A person with kidney stones often needs to urinate frequently.
Treatment options for Kidney Stones
There are lots of treatment options for kidney stones. The treatments depend on the type of kidney stone. If the stone is small, it can pass through urine. Doctor asks the person to drink about 6 to 8 glasses of water to increase the urine flow. Small stones pass through the urine easily.
Medications
People often use medications to reduce pain. The pain intensity of kidney stones is very high. It may come with nausea and vomiting. To ease the pain and symptoms, doctors often prescribe pain relief medicines. Some other medications used in kidney stones are allopurinol, phosphorus, ibuprofen, thiazide diuretics, acetaminophen, naproxen, etc.
Lithotripsy
This therapy uses sound waves to break the large stones into small pieces. Large stones do not pass from the urine easily. Using extracorporeal shock wave therapy, large stones break into pieces, and then the small stones will pass through urine. During lithotripsy therapy, the doctor may use anesthesia as it can be uncomfortable or painful. Sometimes it causes bruising on the abdomen and back. Some people also get bleeding around the kidney.
Ureteroscopy
This treatment is used when the stone gets stuck in the bladder or ureter. The doctor uses an instrument known as ureteroscopy to remove the store. This instrument has a small wire with a camera. The doctor inserts it through the urethra into the bladder. He uses a small cage to hold the stone and remove it.
Tunnel surgery
In tunnel surgery, the surgeon removes the stones through an incision. The doctor suggests tunnel surgery only when the stone is causing obstruction and infection. This procedure is also done when the store is too big or the pain is unmanageable.
Natural medications
Some natural medications are also available for kidney stones. These remedies treat the root causes of kidney stones. You can get these remedies from a homeopathic medicine store in NJ. Natural medicines break and dissolve the kidney stone with urine. The stone gets removed from the body. These medicines also reduce kidney stone pain. Today lots of people are using natural medications as they are safe and do not have any harmful side effects.
Home remedies for kidney stones
If the kidney stone is small then you can remove it by using some home remedies. These remedies also reduce kidney stones pain.
Drink lots of water
If you want to pass the kidney stone through urine, drink lots of water. It not only removes kidney stones but also prevents the formation of new stones. Water not only helps in removing the stone but also eliminates lots of toxins from the body. Start drinking about 3-4 liters of water every day. You have to urinate frequently; check the color of your urine. If it is dark yellow; your body is dehydrated. When you start drinking water, your urine color will change to pale yellow.
Lemon juice
Lemon is also good to remove kidney stones. It contains citrate that prevents calcium stones formation. The citrate also breaks the stones into smaller pieces that can pass through the urine easily.
Basil juice
It contains acetic acid that breaks the stone and also helps in reducing the pain. Basil contains lots of nutrients and humans have been using basil juice for centuries to remove digestion and inflammatory disorders.
Apple cider vinegar
You can also use apple cider vinegar to remove kidney stones. It dissolves kidney stones and reduces pain. You have to mix a small amount of apple cider vinegar with water and then mix it. Drink the mixture throughout the day.
Pomegranate juice
Pomegranate is good for treating kidney-related illnesses. Its juice helps in removing stones and flushing all toxins from the body. Pomegranate contains a good amount of antioxidants that keep your kidney and overall body healthy.