At Comprehensive Urology, we are proud to support National Kidney Month, a National Kidney Foundation initiative that promotes kidney disease awareness, prevention, and treatment. To show our support for National Kidney Month, we recently published a blog post about recurrent kidney stones. Now, we’d like to focus on home remedies for kidney stones, how these remedies work, and when you should schedule a consultation with a urologist to treat kidney stones.
Kidney stones are small, hard deposits that consist of minerals and salts, and they can cause pain in the abdomen, back, and side, blood in the urine, and other unwanted side effects. As such, people often are willing to try just about anything to treat kidney stones, including home remedies.
Common home remedies for kidney stones include:
- Water: Water helps the body remove waste, maintain a normal temperature, and protect sensitive tissues. Also, research indicates drinking twelve 8-oz. glasses of water daily (96 Oz total) helps prevent or slow the growth of mineral and salt deposits (stones) in the kidneys. This is the single most important measure one can do daily to prevent kidney stones and maintain healthy kidneys.
- Lemon juice: Lemon and lime juice contain a high concentration of citrate, a powerful compound that breaks down calcium deposits in the body and prevents the formation and growth of most kidney stones. Meanwhile, consuming two 5-oz. glasses of lemon juice daily has been shown to help prevent kidney stones.
- Basil: Basil contains compounds that help reduce uric acid that otherwise may cause uric acid kidney stones to form, as well as acetic acid that may help dissolve some kidney stones composed of uric acid. Best of all, even a single teaspoon of basil extract or pure juice daily may help a person treat or prevent kidney stones.
- Avoiding dark green leafy vegetables and nuts: All nuts and most dark green vegetables contain a significant amount of oxalate which is a common cause of kidney stones, they should be used in moderation and not excessively. Strawberries and chocolate also have oxalate.
- Low salt: Avoiding too much salt is helpful in preventing kidney stone formation. Too much sodium intake (e.g. salt) can cause urine calcium to go up and cause stones.
- Dairy and calcium: Contrary to popular belief, and despite calcium stones being the most common type of urinary stones, it is recommended NOT to limit calcium intake as it leads to more stone formation. Patients with kidney stones just like healthy people should be ingesting the recommended daily allowance of calcium (1000-1500 mg for most people).
The aforementioned home remedies for kidney stones can be used by anyone, at any time. Yet there is no guarantee that any of these remedies will help individuals pass kidney stones or prevent kidney stones from developing.
Ultimately, an individual must decide whether to try home remedies for kidney stones. For those who want the best-possible kidney stone treatment, however, it often is beneficial to consult with a urologist.
When Should You See a Urologist for Kidney Stone Treatment?
If someone is experiencing kidney stone symptoms, he or she can schedule an appointment with a urologist for immediate treatment. Together, a patient and urologist can determine the best way to safely remove a kidney stone and alleviate pain associated with the stone.
A urologist is happy to educate an individual about kidney stones, why they happen, and how they can be treated. Additionally, a urologist performs a comprehensive patient evaluation to provide a proper kidney stone diagnosis and develop a personalized treatment plan based on the number, size, and location of the stones.
To diagnose a patient, a urologist initially conducts an in-depth physical examination. Next, a series of tests may be used to help diagnose a kidney stone, including urinalysis and radiographic evaluations such as an ultrasound, X-ray, or computerized tomography (CT) scan. With these tests, a urologist can determine the location and size of a kidney stone. He or she can also determine if a patient is affected by urinary obstruction which has to be treated.
How Are Kidney Stones Treated?
Kidney stone treatment generally varies based on the individual. Typically, a urologist recommends dietary changes to help a patient lower the rate of kidney stone formation. These changes may include increased water intake, a reduction in animal protein consumption or increase in fluid intake or citrate-rich foods like oranges or lemons, and reduction of salt ingestion. Or, in some cases, a urologist recommends medical treatment. A urologist may prescribe alpha blockers (pills such as Flomax®) to facilitate the passage of a kidney stone that is lodged in a patient’s ureter, or other medications may be used to help dissolve some kidney stones or prevent them from forming.
If dietary changes and medications fail to help patients address kidney stones, surgery may be required. A urologist usually recommends surgery for kidney stones in the following instances:
- A kidney stone is increasing in size or causing health issues, despite the fact that dietary changes and medical treatments have already been used to treat the stone.
- A trial of kidney stone passage has been attempted, but the stone has still not passed and continues to cause pain and discomfort.
- A kidney stone is obstructing the urinary tract and may cause kidney damage.
- A kidney stone occurs in the setting of a urinary tract infection (UTI).
- A kidney stone is deemed too large for a patient to pass on his or her own.
There are many surgical treatments designed to address kidney stones, and these include:
- Ureteroscopy and Laser Lithotripsy: Often used to treat kidney stones located in the urinary tract. During the procedure, a surgeon uses a ureteroscope (small fiber optic telescope device) that is passed through the urethra and bladder and placed in the ureter. The ureteroscope then enables a surgeon to visualize and extract the stone with small baskets. The surgeon can also use a laser beam to break the stone into smaller pieces that can easily flow out or removed with a basket.
- Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL): May be performed if the size of a kidney stone exceeds 2 cm or larger. PCNL requires a surgeon to make a small incision in a patient’s back and insert a tube directly into his or her kidney, then breaking the stone with a rapidly vibrating ultrasonic “wand” or laser, and removing the pieces.
- Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL): Uses shock waves to break a kidney stone into smaller pieces and makes it easier and less painful for a patient to pass the stone. To perform ESWL, a surgeon first uses X-rays or an ultrasound to locate a kidney stone and make sure it is in a suitable location, of good size, and acceptable hardness for this procedure. The surgeon then administers shock waves throughout the body; these waves do not damage the skin tissue or muscle and help dissolve the stone. ESWL is performed at an outpatient surgery center, and it requires only about one hour to complete. The ideal candidates for ESWL include patients who are dealing with a kidney stone that blocks urine flow or causes pain, ranges from 4 mm to 1 cm in size, or is located in upper pole or the renal pelvis (outflow tract of the kidney).
A urologist allocates time and resources to explain the appropriate surgical treatments and respond to patients’ surgery concerns and questions. He or she describes the recovery period following surgery and post-treatment guidelines as well. That way, a urologist helps a patient establish realistic expectations for kidney stone surgery.
Set Up an Appointment with the Kidney Stone Experts at Comprehensive Urology Today
Determining the best way to treat kidney stones can be difficult. Sometimes individuals consider home remedies for kidney stones, but these treatments may or may not work. For those who want to achieve long-term kidney stone pain relief, a consultation with an expert urologist may be ideal.
Comprehensive Urology understands the challenges associated with finding the right kidney stone treatment. To help patients address kidney stones, we employ a team of kidney stone experts who are dedicated to their craft. Dr. Arash Akhavein is a fellowship-trained endourologist who subspecializes in kidney stone treatments and minimally invasive surgery. Our urologists learn about kidney stone patients and their symptoms and do everything possible to help patients achieve their desired treatment results. To find out more about how we help patients treat kidney stones, contact us today at (310) 499-2756 to schedule a consultation with one of our courteous, knowledgeable urologists.
Sources:
https://www.kidney.org/news/monthly/Focus_KidneyMonth
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/kidney-stones/symptoms-causes/syc-20355755
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319418.php
https://www.healthline.com/health/kidney-health/home-remedies-for-kidney-stones
https://draxe.com/5-kidney-stone-natural-remedies-fast-relief/
https://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/remedies-for-kidney-stones/
https://dailyhealthpost.com/home-remedies-for-kidney-stones/