Kidney Stones: Discover the Causes & Prevention
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5 Self-Help Steps to Dissolve Stones & How to Support Healthy Kidney Function
An important aspect of your health from the health insights toolbox is your kidneys. Your kidneys are of vital importance for the removal of waste and fluid from your blood to make urine. They play a vital role in the detoxification process of your body.
If there is over-consumption of certain waste products, chemicals and toxic substances together with not enough fluid in your bloodstream, these waste products build up and stick together in your kidneys. These clumps of waste products are called kidney stones.
Kidney stones are extremely painful as is the passing of them. They can easily prevent you from continuing with work and regular activities. Understanding the underlying causes of Kidney Stones will help with prevention.
If you are already suffering from them, then early intervention and implementation of natural support such as dietary and lifestyle changes will prevent any further complications.
What are Kidney Stones?
Kidney stones (renal lithiasis, nephrolithiasis) are hard deposits made of minerals and salts that form inside your kidneys. Kidney stones have many causes and can affect any part of your urinary tract — from your kidneys to your bladder. Often, stones form when the urine becomes concentrated, allowing minerals to crystallize and stick together.
How are Kidney Stones Formed?
The formation of kidney stones is mainly due to the decrease in urine volume. This can be from inadequate consumption of water, dehydration, certain medical conditions, medications, food or drink this leading to an excess of stone-forming substances in the urine. There are four types of kidney stones, each made of different substances. Uric acid and cystine are two compounds that may comprise kidney stones. Unresolved kidney stones can develop into kidney damage and even kidney failure. The key here is learning how to prevent and treat kidney stones naturally. This will help to support healthy kidney function which is vital for the detoxification of minerals and chemicals from your body.
Common causes of kidney stones:
- Dehydration. Not drinking enough water each day can increase your risk of kidney stones. It is important to drink 8–10 glasses of filtered water per day. Drinking more than two cups of coffee per day, alcohol and soft drink as these dehydrate the body.
- Diet & food. Eating a diet that’s high in animal protein, animal fat, sodium (salt) and sugar may increase your risk of some types of kidney stones. This is especially true with a high-sodium diet. Too much salt in your diet increases the amount of calcium your kidneys must filter and significantly increases your risk of kidney stones. Eliminating processed, packaged, and fast foods will help to prevent kidney stones along with other positive lifestyle changes.
- Being obese. High body mass index (BMI), 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 can cause changes in the digestive process that affect your absorption of calcium and water, increasing the levels of stone-forming substances in your urine.
- Other medical conditions. Diseases and conditions that may increase your risk of kidney stones include renal tubular acidosis, cystinuria, hyperparathyroidism, certain medications, and some urinary tract infection
- Medications and over-the-counter supplements such as calcium and vitamin C supplements can contribute to the formation of kidney stones.
Symptoms of Kidney Stones
If you have a very small kidney stone that moves easily through your urinary tract, you may not have any symptoms, and may never know that you had a kidney stone. If you have a larger kidney stone, you may notice any of the following symptoms:
- Pain while urinating
- Blood in your urine
- Sharp pain in your back or lower abdomen
- Nausea and vomiting
If you are suffering from these more severe symptoms my advice is to seek professional help.
What are the Treatments for Kidney Stones?
In most cases with kidney stones with lifestyle and dietary changes, they will either dissolve or pass naturally. Depending on the size of the stone, what it is made of, whether it is causing pain and whether it is blocking your urinary tract. To answer these questions and to diagnose what is to be the right treatment for you. You will need to ask your doctor about having a urine test, blood test, x-ray, and/or CT scan. In a CT scan, sometimes the use of contrast dye also assists in determining severity factors. The use of contrast dye can cause complications and don’t hesitate to tell your doctor before the CT scan if you don’t want the use of the dye.
If your test results show that your kidney stone is small, making dietary changes, drinking more water, and reducing alcohol intake will help to push the stone through your urinary tract. There are also natural health suggestions below in this article that may also help to dissolve kidney stones. If your kidney stone is large, or if it is blocking your urinary tract, additional treatment may be necessary. One treatment option is shock wave lithotripsy. This treatment uses shock waves to break up kidney stones into small pieces. After the treatment, the small pieces of the kidney stone will pass through your urinary tract and out of your body with your urine.
This treatment usually takes 45 minutes to one hour and may be done under a general anesthetic, which means you will be asleep and unable to feel pain. Another treatment option is ureteroscopy. This treatment is also done under a general anesthetic. The doctor uses a long tool shaped like a tube to find and remove the stone or to find and break the stone into small pieces. If the stone is small, the doctor may be able to remove it. If it is large, it may need to be broken into pieces. In this case, a laser will be used to break the stone into pieces that are small enough to pass through your urinary tract.
In rare cases, a surgery called percutaneous nephrolithotomy is needed to remove a kidney stone. During the surgery, a tube will be inserted directly into your kidney to remove the stone. You will need to be in the hospital for two to three days to have and recover from this treatment.
5 Self-Help Steps to Dissolve Stones
Changing lifestyle habits is certainly to best and initial step to dissolve your kidney stones. If you have serious concerns about the cause of your kidney stones it is best to work hand in hand with a health professional of your choice.
- Increase your consumption of filtered water to 8–10 glasses per day
- Each morning squeeze one lemon in a glass and fill the glass with filtered warm water and drink. This is great even if you don’t have kidney stones for keeping your body in an alkalized state.
- Basil, add a teaspoon of chopped basil to your lemon drink. Basil contains compounds known to help stabilize uric acid levels, making it harder for kidney stones to form. Also, basil contains acetic acid, a chemical known to help dissolve stones.
- Extra virgin olive oil, once again you can add this to your morning lemon juice. Olive oil helps ease the passage of stones.
- Apple cider vinegar again contains citric acid that may help dissolve calcium deposits. One to two teaspoons added to a glass of filtered water may help dissolve kidney stones when drunk 2–3x a day. Most effective before meals.
Read next: Alkalizing your body will not only help to prevent and overcome kidney stones. It will also help prevent disease.
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