kidney stone Kidney Health
Kidney Stones: Causes, Ayurvedic Treatment, and Remedies
SEPTEMBER 9, 2022

Kidney Stones: Causes, Ayurvedic Treatment & Remedies

Imagine a scenario where everything is going well in your life. You are healthy and happy, your days are busy, and your nights are full of joy and relief. Then, suddenly, one day, an excruciating pain grows in your abdominal region. It moves around your back, stomach, and nearby areas. And the worst part - it doesn’t go away at once. Instead, it returns and disturbs your daily life.

That is how painful and inconvenient kidney stones can be.

If you are reading this blog to remedy your kidney stone, you may identify the above description as a toned-down version. However, if you are here to help your loved one(s), your will might have strengthened.

In all cases, this blog will help you find Ayurvedic treatments for kidney stones, along with useful tips to manage kidney stones pain

What is a Kidney Stone? Types of Kidney Stones

kidney stone & its types

A kidney stone is a solid mass composed of the mineral and salt deposits inside the kidney, specifically in the ureter and bladder. Kidney stones obstruct the outflow of toxins, leading to more serious complications if not removed timely.

Smaller stones do not obstruct the urinary pathways and ‌leave the body through urine. However, as the deposits build up and take the form of large, hardened stones, the patient experiences severe pain, bleeding, and the frequent urge to urinate.

Kidney stones can be classified into four types, depending on the size and the mineral deposit.

Calcium Oxalate is the most common kidney stone found in 80% of the cases. The rare types include cystine stones, struvite stones and uric acid stones.

Causes of Kidney Stone

Here are some of the common factors that may make reason for kidney stone(s):

Low Water Intake

To keep your organs and internal functions in order, drinking 4 liters of water a day is essential. Drinking inadequate water makes it difficult to flush out the toxins and dilute the minerals in the urine, leading to kidney stones.

Sedentary Lifestyle

Lack of exercise is the root cause of many diseases. People who work out and eat healthily have healthier urinary pathways than people who don't.

Too Much Protein and Sodium in the Diet

Protein and sodium can lead to stones if you are not drinking enough water to dilute them. If you have had kidney stones before, reducing protein and sodium in your diet is advised.

Obesity

Obesity‌ affects organ function and causes various health complications. For example, people who are obese are far more likely to develop kidney stones than those who lie on the normal BMI spectrum.

Medication

Chronic medication can have a myriad of side effects. For example, it is not uncommon for individuals to develop kidney stones because of chronic medication or an underlying condition.

Aerated Drinks

No matter how much you want to avoid that can of Cola, it's a trap that you almost always fall for. Aerated drinks can harm your kidney function and lead to mineral stones in the ureter or bladder.

Daily alcohol and caffeine intake keep you chronically dehydrated, which leads to the formation of kidney stones.

Signs of Kidney Stone

Are you or a loved one experiencing intense pain in the lower abdomen? It could be kidney stones, but most times, it's not. Here are a few telltale signs showing a kidney stone problem. Knowing these symptoms is critical to preliminary diagnosis and treatment.

Extreme Pain

Kidney stones can cause severe pain in the lower abdomen, which often moves around in the stomach and back region.

Change in Urine Colour and Consistency

With kidney stones, the urine becomes cloudy with a foul odour, and the colour may turn light red or brown due to blood in the urine.

Burning sensation

Kidney stones cause pain and a burning sensation while urinating. However, you may also experience similar symptoms from a urinary tract infection.

Other symptoms of kidney stones include:

  • Nausea and/or vomiting with pain  

  • Blood in the urine   

  • Inability to urinate.

  • Frequent urination.   

  • Foul smell in urine and cloudy appearance

Ayurveda’s Take on Kidney Stones

According to Ayurveda, the body's Kapha composition may dry out when there's an imbalance in the Vata Dosha levels. This can lead to kidney stones.

In Ayurveda, kidney stones are referred to as 'Ashmari.' This Sanskrit word is made by joining two words - 'Ashma,' and 'Ari,' where Ashma means stone and Ari means enemy.

Ayurveda takes a holistic approach to managing and treating kidney stones. The following section shares some of Ayurveda's most effective kidney stone remedies.

Drink More Water

Water is a critical part of our lives, and its significance grows when a person is dealing with kidney stones. Drinking more and more water ensures that your body is hydrated and helps flush out wastes and toxins. When such toxins and wastes are not eliminated regularly, they may combine to form kidney stones. Water can also act as a medium for the stones to pass out from the body.

Stick to an Ayurvedic Diet

According to Ayurveda, smaller kidney stones can be eliminated by sticking to a suitable sattvic diet, consuming more water, and taking preventive measures.

Concerning the diet, increase consumption of the following vegetables, cereals, and fruits:

  • Carrot   

  • Karela (Bitter gourd)

  • Potatoes

  • Radish

  • Pumpkin  

  • Banana 

  • Apple

  • Apricot

  • Lemon

  • Plum

  • Almonds

  • Barley

  • Moong dal

  • Horse Gram

Apart from that, it’s also advisable to reduce your consumption of the following foods:   

  • Reined wheat flour (Maida)

  • Oatmeal

  • Bran

  • Amla  

  • Black grapes

  • Kiwi

  • Chikoo 

  • Strawberries

In more complex cases, flush therapy or invasive surgical methods can remove larger kidney stones.

Add these Liquids to Your Routine

Start consuming the following liquids in moderation to manage a kidney stones condition:

  • Barley water (morning and evening)

  • Buttermilk

  • Coconut water (in the morning)

  • Lemon water

  • Sweet lime juice (once a day, preferably after lunch)

  • Pumpkin soup

Consuming these liquids in adequate quantities daily may help flush out kidney stones and also provide kidney stone pain relief.

Kidney Stones Home Remedies in Ayurveda

Here’s a list of some of the most effective kidney stone home treatments:

Eat Sugarcane

eating sugarcane can help with kidney stone

Sugarcane comes with a wide range of health benefits. It is said that consuming sugarcane regularly can help get rid of smaller kidney stones. You can consume sugarcane in any of the following ways to flush out kidney stone(s):

  • Drink sugarcane juice mixed with cardamom twice a day on an empty stomach. 

  • sugarcane with Tulsi (basil) seeds and milk. 

  • Eat sugarcane with cumin seeds and honey.

  • Eat fennel seeds, coriander, and sugarcane.

Eat Watermelon

eating watermelon can help with kidney stone

Watermelon fruit is 92% water and contains nutrients and antioxidants. Consuming watermelon at least once daily may help manage kidney stones and aid their natural removal from the body.

Eat Amla, Drink Amla Juice or Add Amla Powder to Your Food

amla for kidney stone

Amla (Indian Gooseberry) is an Indian fruit with high vitamin C and antioxidant contents. As a result, it can be of great help for pacing up the body’s detox process. Similarly, it can help flush out small kidney stones and may help break larger ones.

Having one to two Amlas a day can help manage kidney stones. However, the fruit’s taste may sometimes appear too strong or bitter. In such cases, one can add Amla powder to their food and reap its health benefits.

Ayurvedic Herbs for Kidney Stones

Ayurveda suggests several Ayurvedic herbs that may help treat and manage kidney stones. However, only their suitable use can create the right results. Hence, it's advisable to consult an Ayurvedic practitioner before starting the dosage.

Moving further, here’s a list of herbs that are said to help manage kidney stones:

  • Punarnava (Boerhaavia Diffusa).

  • Shigru (Moringa Oleifera).

  • Varuna (Crataeva nurvala).

  • Kantkari (Solanum xanthocarpum).

  • Kushmanda seeds (Benincasa hispida).

  • Pashanabheda (Bergenia ligulata).

  • Coriander (Coriandrum Sativum)

  • Jasmine (Jasminum auriculatum).

  • Bakul (Mimusops Elengi).

Apart from these herbs, Kerala Ayurveda’s herbal formulation, Punarnavasava, can be a helpful recipe for managing kidney stones. It’s a powerful diuretic that may drain excess sodium salts from your body, helping prevent kidney stones.

 

Punarnavasavam (Asava)
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Other Factors to Keep In Mind

  • Avoid eating at odd hours. Have your meals on time and eat in moderation.

  • Urinate when the urges crop up. Don’t stall the urges.

  • Drink two glasses of warm water first thing in the morning. This aids in a thorough cleansing of the bowel.

  • Limit your dairy consumption, and avoid tomatoes, too many bananas, chiku, and corn flour foods.

  • Eat more fruits with high water content.

  • Practice Yoga daily. The following Yoga asanas may help manage kidney stones:

    • Ustrasana
    • Uttanpadasana
    • Pawanmuktasana
    • Dhanurasana
    • Bhujangasana
    • Ardha Matsyendrasana
    • Garuda Asana

Key Takeaways

Kidney stones can be excruciating and must be eliminated from the body. In this blog, we discussed various natural methods that may help remove kidney stones from the body. Let’s look at what we learned in the sections above.

  • A kidney stone is a solid mass formed of salt deposits and minerals inside the kidney.

  • Kidney stones can be large and small.

  • The most common kidney stone is calcium oxalate. Other rare types are cystine, struvite, and uric acid stones.

  • Kidney stones can develop from several causes.

  • Ayurveda takes a holistic approach for treating kidney stones through flush therapy and other techniques.

  • Home remedies such as sugarcane and watermelon may help remove and prevent kidney stones.

  • Ayurvedic herbs such as Shigru, Varuna, and Bakul can help manage kidney stones.

  • To prevent kidney stones and manage an existing condition, a few factors must be kept in mind.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ayurveda suggests that smaller kidney stones can be drained out through stool and urine by refining the diet and increasing water intake. Medium-sized stones can be removed with the help of suitable Ayurvedic herbs, and the larger stones can be eliminated through flush therapy.

Getting rid of the existing kidney stones may seem like a great relief, but new stones may develop in your kidney with a sedentary lifestyle and improper eating habits. To prevent new kidney stones, it’s advisable to continue practising a healthy lifestyle, keeping your diet clean, drinking more water and healthy liquids, and keeping preventive measures in mind. This can help you get rid of kidney stones permanently. This can help you get rid of kidney stones permanently.

Vitamin B6 (found in bananas, mangos, soybean, avocados, and halibut), vitamin B12, Riboflavin, Thiamin and vitamin D help manage kidney stones.

If you are currently dealing with kidney stones or have a family history of kidney stones limiting your turmeric consumption is advisable. Turmeric can increase the oxalic acid levels in the urine, which may lead to the formation of calcium oxalate kidney stones.

Zinc is one of the many elements that may lead to stone formation; hence, consuming zinc while dealing with kidney stones is not a good idea.

Consuming foods containing magnesium may help counter stone formations as oxalate absorption diminishes in its presence.




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