A kidney stone is a solid mass made up of tiny crystals. One or more stones can be in the kidney or ureter at the same time. When a solution can no more dissolve a substance it is called saturation point. And when a solution contains more of the dissolved material than it can actually dissolve, it is called super-saturation. In healthy conditions enzyme system maintains balanced super-saturation which fails in disease condition where chemicals precipitate out in form of crystals.
Kidney stones are one of the most painful medical conditions. The causes of kidney stones vary according to the type of stone.
Types of Kidney Stones
- Calcium stones are the most common type of kidney stones. They are usually made of calcium and oxalate (a natural chemical found in most foods), but are sometimes made of calcium and phosphate.
- Uric acid stones form when your urine is often too acidic. Uric acid can form stones by itself or with calcium.
- Struvite stones can happen when you have certain types of urinary tract infections in which bacteria make ammonia that builds up in your urine. Struvite stones are made of magnesium, ammonium and phosphate.
- Cystine stones are made of a chemical that your body makes naturally, called cystine. Cystine stones are very rare, and happen in people who have a genetic disorder that causes cystine to leak from the kidneys into the urine.
Causes
- Lack of enough fluids in the body or dehydration
- Family history
- Diet rich in salt, calcium and uric acid
- Obesity and Diabetes
- Hot and dry climate
- Few medications
- Health problems like urinary tract infections, Gout, High BP and inflammatory bowel disease
Sign and Symptoms
- Severe, sharp pain in the side and back, below the ribs
- Pain that radiates to the lower abdomen and groin
- Pain that comes in waves and fluctuates in intensity
- Pain or burning sensation while urinating
- Other signs and symptoms may include:
Other signs and symptoms may include:
- Pink, red or brown urine
- Cloudy or foul-smelling urine
- A persistent need to urinate, urinating more often than usual or urinating in small amounts
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fever and chills if an infection is present
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of kidney stones requires a complete case history assessment and a physical examination. Other tests include:
- Blood tests for calcium, phosphorus, uric acid and electrolytes
- Kidney functioning test for blood urea nitrogen
- Complete urinary picture
- Examination of passed stones to determine type
- Ultrasound of the kidney
Homeopathic management
Homeopathic remedies can offer complete cure for renal stones except in Struvite stones, when the stone size is large or the stone is impacted, or there are multiple stones. There are number of best medicines in homeopathy for renal calculi. Choice of medicine in homeopathy is based on totality of symptoms. Homeopathy is a very safe and an effective bet in avoiding surgery by removing and preventing renal calculi from recurring again. Homeopathic remedies will give symptomatic relief to the patient, and when the stone size is small it will crush or break the stone, dissolve the stone gradually by acting on its chemical composition, will help push forward the stone in the urinary tract. Homeopathy still has a role to play in preventing its recurrence and in treating secondary infections of the urinary tract arising after injury from the moving stone.
Homeopathic medicines
Lycopodium
Lycopodium Clavatum is an excellent choice of medicine for treating kidney stones of the right side. The person needing Lycopodium Clavatum has pain in the right kidney or right ureter. The pain worsens before urination. Urine is scanty. The kidney pain subsides after passing urine. Red sediments may appear in urine. In some cases, the urine may be purulent, turbid, or pale.
Hydrangea Arborescens
Hydrangea Arborescens is popularly known as the stone breaker. Hydrangea Arborescens is used to crush kidney stones, stones in ureter as well as bladder. A significant symptom to look out for is white deposits or yellow sand in urine. If one notices white or yellow sand deposits, then Hydrangea Arborescens is the sure shot cure. Soreness in kidney region may also be felt in such cases. In some cases, blood may appear in urine.
Cantharis Vesicatoria
Cantharis Vesicatoria is of great help in kidney stone where there is intense burning on passing urine. The burning may also be present before urine is passed and may continue after urination. Another attending feature is kidney pain with frequent urge to pass urine. Tenesmus of bladder may also be marked where the urge to pass urine is almost constant, together with unsatisfactory urination. Urine may contain jelly-like mucus.
Sarsaparilla Officinalis
In case of kidney stone with excessive burning at the close of urination, Sarsaparilla Officinalis is the medicine that you can count on. Urine passed is scanty. Urine may contain slimy or sandy particles. Sarsaparilla Officinalis is also prescribed for right-sided kidney stones.
Pareira Brava
Pareira Brava is a valuable medicine for kidney stone, especially in cases where pain from the kidney radiates down the thigh. In some cases, the pain may radiate down to the feet from the kidney region. There is also a constant urge to urinate. Urine is passed with marked pain. In men, pain may also be felt in glans penis while urinating. Red sand or stingy mucus may be observed in the urine.
Berberis vulgaris
Painful cuttings left side bladder into the urethra, comes from the left kidney (continued) along the course of the ureter. Blood-red urine, speedily becomes turbid, deposits thick, mealy, bright red sediment, slowly becoming clear, but always retaining its blood.
Ocimum canum
Indicated for pain accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Ocimum works well in both the left and right sided kidney stone pain, but it can only be prescribed if vomiting accompanies the pain. The urine passed may be red, purulent and highly offensive.
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