One of the biggest risk factors for kidney stone formation is dehydration. Other causes include diet, hereditary factors, overactive adrenal glands (Cushing's syndrome), an elevated level of cystine in urine (cystinuria), and sarcoidosis, an autoimmune disease.
Although calcium stones usually just pass through the body without the need for medical assistance, they can cause excruciating pain when they get dislodged. Removing crystals that are not able to pass through the bladder on their own will require a surgical process called lithotripsy.
This can be prevented using natural treatments. Some herbs work by interfering with crystal formation. One example of this is aloe. Aloe has a component known as aloemannan that slows down the rate of crystal formation. This prevents the stone from getting too big, making it easier and less painful to expel the crystal from the body. This can be taken daily in the form of juice for a period of two weeks.
Another herb that affects crystal formation is varuna. This works by inhibiting an enzyme involved in calcium stone formation. Drink varuna tea three times a day for it to be effective.
Chanca piedra, is another herb that can be taken orally to dissolve calcium stones. This herb reduces the size of the stone or dissolves it completely, eliminating the need for stone expulsion.
Some herbs, on the other hand, help in the process of expelling kidney stones. These include birch leaf, which stimulates urination so that the stone can pass through the urinary tract. Take one cup of birch leaf tea three times a day. Marshmallow root also helps cleanse the kidneys to get rid of calcium stones. A quart of tea may also be taken daily.
Lastly, some herbs can soothe the pain caused by damage to the urinary tract when expelling kidney stones. To help the urinary tract heal, the herb khella can be taken in doses of 20 mg daily.
These recommended herbal remedies serve as effective substitutes for prescribed medications in treating kidney stones without having dangerous side effects. (Related: How to solve your medical problems using herbal remedies instead of toxic OTC medicines.)
Ways to prevent kidney stone formation
Although kidney stones can easily be remedied, it would still be best if the formation of kidney stones were prevented. Prevention methods include:
- Drinking lots of water – As previously mentioned, dehydration is a risk factor for kidney stone formation. Drinking at least eight glasses of water a day is enough to prevent stone formation brought about by a high concentration of salts in the urine.
- Changes in diet – Formation of kidney stones is affected by a person's diet. Avoid foods that are rich in oxalates and phosphates since these can cause stone formation. Consuming too much sodium will also lead to stone formation since this causes calcium concentration in urine to increase. Limiting the amount of protein being consumed will also prevent stone formation since proteins increase uric acid levels.
- Avoiding taking too many vitamin C supplements – A study showed that the risk of forming kidney stones increased twofold in men who took large amounts of vitamin C supplements.
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