A stone in the kidney or lower down in the urinary tract is called kidney stone. Kidney stones are solid concretions of dissolved minerals in urine. These are also called renal calculus or renal lithiasis or nephrolithiasis. These stones can affect any part of the urinary tract or from the kidneys to urinary bladder.The stones are made up of mineral and acid salts.Kidney stones most commonly seen in people aged 20 to 50 years old.These are three times more common in men than in women.
Causative factors for kidney stones:
Kidney stones often have no definite or single cause. Several causes include in this.
- Family history of kidney stones
- Intake of high-protein, salt, or glucose diet
- Urinary tract infections
- Vitamin-A deficiency
- Inflammatory bowel diseases
- Medical conditions like renal tubular acidosis and hyperparathyroidism
Types of kidney stones:
Basically these kidney stones can be divided into two major groupsclassified depending on the chemicals that make up the stones:
1.Primary stones– These stones appear in apparently healthy urinary tract without any inflammation. These are
- Calcium stones
- Uric acid stones
- Cystine stones
- Xanthine stones
- Indigo calculi
2. Secondary stones-They are usually formed as the result of inflammation.
- Triple phosphate calculus
- Mixed stones
Calcium stones are the most common. They can be made of calcium oxalate, phosphate, or maleate. Vitamin C and spinach contain oxalate. Calcium stones are most commonly seen in young men between the ages of 20 and 30.
Uric acid stones are more common in men than in women. They can occur in people with gout or those going through chemotherapy.
Cystine stones are rare. They occur in both men and women who have the genetic disorder cystinuria.
Struvite stones are found mostly in women with urinary tract infection. These stones can be quite large and cause urinary obstruction.
Kidney stones are more likely to form in hot climates or in the summertime. When people become dehydrated, the minerals in urine become more concentrated.The stones are often small and can pass through the urinary system on their own.
- First and foremost symptom is pain. Pain in back or loins radiates to lower abdomen up to pubic symphysis. Symptoms of kidney stones may not occur until the stone begins to move down the ureters. The severe pain is called renal colic.Painmost often noticed in the early morning or late into the night, when you are at rest or in a sitting position.
- Pain while urination.
- Nausea or vomiting
- Discolored or foul-smelling urine
- Sometimes blood in urine
- Fever with chills
- Sometimes stones block the flow of urine. This is called a urinary obstruction. Urinary obstructions can lead to kidney infection (pyelonephritis) and kidney damage.
How to diagnose Kidney stones?
Diagnosis of kidney stones requires a complete case history assessment and a physical examination. Other tests include:
- Blood tests for calcium, phosphorus, uric acid and electrolytes
- kidney functioning test for blood urea nitrogen
- Complete urinary picture
- Examination of passed stones to determine type
- ultrasound of the kidney
How Homeopathy helps to cure Kidney stones?
Homeopathic remedies can offer complete cure for renal stones except in Struvite stones, when the stone size is large or the stone is impacted, or there are multiple stones. There are number of best medicines in homeopathy for renal calculi. Choice of medicine in homeopathy is based on totality of symptoms.Homeopathy is a very safe and an effective bet in avoiding surgery by removing and preventing renal calculi from recurring again.Homeopathic remedies will give symptomatic relief to the patient, and when the stone size is small it will crush or break the stone, dissolve the stone gradually by acting on its chemical composition, will help push forward the stone in the urinary tract. Homeopathy still has a role to play in preventing its recurrence and in treating secondary infections of the urinary tract arising after injury from the moving stone