Kidney Stones

Definition: Kidney stones are hard minerals and salts deposit mass; which are usually formed in kidneys. It is one of the most painful conditions.

Due to presence of high amount of minerals; urine becomes extremely saturated.

Types:

It varies from person to person, mainly depends upon what kind of diet you are following and lifestyle.

1. Calcium stones:

It is the most common type, about 80% of stones are made up of calcium oxalate mixed with calcium phosphate.

Oxalate rich diet are responsible in formation of these type of stones. Potato chips, peanuts, and spinach contain high amount of oxalate. Likewise, high measure of Vitamin D supplements forms stones.

2. Uric acid stones:

Nearly, 8% to 10% of stones are made up of uric acid. Mostly women are suffered from this type of stones.

Risk factors:

Obese person
Insulin resistance
Gout
Diarrhea
Chemotherapy

High amount of purine rich food is also one of the main culprits. Alcohol beverages, bacon, liver, dried peas beans and oatmeal are some of the purine rich food.

3. Struvite stones:

Almost, 7% to 8% of the stones are made up of struvite. These are famously called "infection stones". These are formed due to high amount of ammonia secondary to infection.

It has horn like projections which is found in kidney pelvis and kidney calyces. Comparative to other stones; these stones are much larger in size.

4. Cysteine stones:

This type is very uncommon. Due to genetic defect you may be diagnosed with cysteine stone. It is autosomal recessive defect which causes cystinuria.

In this condition, cysteine cannot be reabsorbed by your kidneys and forms stones in return again and again, as it mixes up with urine.

Causes & risk factors

Lack of fluid intake makes your urine more and more concentrated, as the particles or minerals are not getting diluted enough and forms hard masses, and we call it as stones.
Dehydration is the decrease amount of water in your body. When you do more physical activities but do not consume enough fluids.
Diet is predominant factor. Oxalate-rich food and purine-rich food forms calcium oxalate and uric acid stones respectively.
Obese people doubles the risk compared to people whose BMI rate low.
Gastric bypass surgery
Underlying condition such as, inflammatory bowel disease increases calcium absorption.
Iatrogenic (medicinal cause).

Signs & symptoms

Usually, no symptoms are felt by the patient. But as soon as stone moves to ureters, patient feel severe unbearable pain. This is called as renal colic.

Patient is highly restless due to pain. Pain radiates to groin region, lower abdomen and back below ribs. This is associated with;

Nausea and vomiting
Hematuria (Blood in urine)
Foul smelling urine
Sometimes fever (If it is associated with infection)
Frequent urination
Passes urine in small quantity

As stone moves from kidney to ureter; it causes friction to the ureteric wall it leads to blood in urine and severe pain associated with it.

If the stone is big enough, the it obstructs your ureter leading to collection of urine in kidney and causes infection.

Diagnosis

Diagnostic tests include:

X- ray of kidney, ureter and bladder- Stones in bigger size can easily be detected but fails to detect smaller ones.

CT scan- Helps in fast diagnosis. Mostly advised in emergency condition.

Ultra sonography- It is most preferred test.

Blood test for calcium, phosphorous, uric acid and electrolytes; to determine the type of stone.

Blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine.

Urine analysis to rule out infection.

Treatment with modern medicine

If stones are smaller or equal to 5mm in size; then by drinking adequate fluids, approximately at least 6 to 8 glasses of water helps your kidney to flush out the stone in urine.

Acetaminophen or ibuprofen will be given to you by your physician, to control the pain for a while.

Allopurinol in case of uric acid stones, it prevents future formation of the stones.

Thiazide diuretics to prevent calcium stone formation.

Sodium bicarbonate or sodium citrate to dilute the concentrated urine.

Surgical treatment:

It is recommended when,

Stone is blocking the flow of urine
Recurrent urinary tract infection
Having severe intolerable pain
who fails to respond to conservative management

Lithotripsy, tunnel surgery or ureteroscopy are the surgeries. Either of them will be performed by your surgeon according to the condition.

Homeopathy treatment for kidney stones

1. Alumina

Pain in the right side of kidney.
Soreness as if full of stones. Red sand urine.
Sensation as if sand was pricking urethra. Numbness and tingling sensation down the right leg and up in the right scapula.

2. Benzoic Acid

Nephrotic colic. Gouty diathesis (i.e. mainly for uric acid stones)
Foul smelling urine. Smell of ammonia.

Dysuria senilis from irritability of bladder and muco-purulent discharge.

3. Berberis Vulgaris

Tearing cutting pain in kidneys, extending down to ureters to bladder or urethra.

Pain extending to testicles of affected side.

Urine is hot, dark or bright yellow or blood-red with white greyish or bright red.

Aggravation while sitting or lying down.

Bubbling sensation in various parts.

4. Cantharis

Renal region sore and sensitive to touch; dull pressing pain in kidneys, cutting and contracting pain in ureters, extending to bladder and urethra own to spermatic chord.

Frequent urging to urinate. Urine passes in drops.

Burning and cutting pain before, during and after urination.

Hematuria (blood in urine). Children pull constantly at penis from irritation of gravel extending down to organs.

5. Nux Vomica

Right sided renal colic, extends to genitals and right leg.

Spasmodic strangury, paralysis vesical , urine dribbles. Colic is caused due to stone in ureter.

Aggravation by lying on affected side. Amelioration on back.

6. Sarsaparilla

Urine dribbles when sitting; on standing passes urine freely.

Passes gravel or small calculi, blood in urine. Painful retention or urine.

Child screams before and while passing urine.

Has to get up several times at night to urinate. Intolerable smell of urine.

7. Uva Ursi

Calculi in bladder, flow of urine stops suddenly as if stone block at urethral internal orifice.

Bloody urine, burning after the discharge of slimy urine.

Prevention

As it is always said , "Prevention is better than cure".

Here, are few of important and permanent measures which will definitely help you.

Drink at least 2 liters of water per day.
Limit your oxalate diet and purine diet.
Have food which is low in salt content and low in animal protein.

References:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5685519/

2. https://www.healthline.com/health/kidney-stones#:~:text=Kidney%20stones%2C%20or%20renal%20calculi,kidneys

3. https://www.webmd.com/kidney-stones/default.htm

Kidney stones: Types, Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Diagnosis & Prevention