by Mak

Created on: October 17, 2008

Kidney stones are formed inside kidneys or in urine bladder from concentration of dissolved minerals in urine. Kidney stone sizes could be of as small as a sand grain to as large as golf ball. Smaller kidney stone passes without any symptom and some time unknown to the person even. Larger crystals of stone adhered to kidney or urine bladder can have symptoms. While the larger stones tries to pass with urine, those may cause the obstruction of ureter. Normal symptom is severe pain in hip area. Other symptoms could be blood in the urine due to damage minor inside kidney wall, ureters or urethra, pus in the urine from infections, burning while passing urine, reduced and frequent urination due to obstruction and in severe cases chilling and fever have been reported.

Improved medical treatments are now available to get rid of the kidney stones. Normal treatment by Doctors would be medication. For treating sticky or large stones in kidneys, most common method is lithotripsy. Shock waves are targeted at the stone to break the crystals into smaller size so that those can pass through urine. When the stone is in ureter or bladder, an instrument called cystoscope is passed through urethra to capture the stone or break into smaller pieces by shock wave generated by a device attached to the cystoscope. Some times larger stones in odd location may require surgery to remove.
Wrong diet, excess intake of acid forming foods, sugar products, red meat, tea, coffee, and spices believed to have contributed in forming kidney stones. Lack of vitamin A and an excessive intake of vitamin D may lead to formation of stones.
Best medicine to keep kidney and urine system healthy is to drink a lot of water unless some medical restriction limits fluid intake.

Natural cure for kidney stones does not involve use of pharmaceutical drugs. Other known natural cures are:-

1. Yoga: - Some of the yoga pavanmuktasana, uttanpadasana, bhujangasana, dhanurasana, and halasana believed to improve kidney health.

2. Vegetable and fruits: - Watermelon, grape, apple, celery, basil and kidney beans stops stone formation and helps in passing the stones with urine.

3. Vitamins and minerals: Vitamin B6 deficiency increases oxalate formation in the urine which is responsible for oxalate stone crystal formation in urine system. Magnesium citrate believed to decrease size of existing stone and stops further stone formation.

4. Juice: Experiences of some kidney stone patients described in websites that drinking equal amount of lemon juice and olive oil (2 ounce each) followed by large amount of water at first sign of kidney stone pain assist in passing the stone with urine.

Except for drinking lots of water, other natural cures are yet to be established by scientific proof as to how those works in alleviating kidney stones.

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