You’re suddenly in an excruciating pain. You have a sharp, cramping pain in your back and side that comes in waves. And the overwhelming feeling moves to your lower abdomen or groin, and hurts badly.
Well, you probably have kidney stones. And you need to give it a quick fix. You can do that without medical intervention, especially if you can find something that will dissolve the stones fast.
Types of kidney stones
Generally, up to 80 percent of kidney stones are calcium stones—usually either calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate. These types of stones occur if you have too much calcium in your urine, though they could also form for other reasons.
Another type of stones, struvite stones, is related to chronic urinary tract infections, makes up 10 percent of all kidney stones and often forms when urine is alkaline. Uric acid stones make up 5-10 percent of kidney stones, and require acidic urine to form; while cystine stones that are less than 1 percent of all stones form when you have cysturia—too much cystine in urine.
Apple cider vinegar as kidney stones remedy
If you’re looking to dissolve kidney stones fast, you can rely on apple cider vinegar. Made from fermenting apples and endowed with phosphoric, citric and acetic acids, apple cider vinegar makes urine acidic and helps to dissolve most types of kidney stones quickly.
The acids in the apple cider vinegar react rapidly with compounds forming stones, especially calcium and struvite stones. As the reactions occur, the stones reduce in size and eventually dissolve.
Once the stones are dissolved or their size significantly reduced, they are easily flushed out in urine. Equally, as the stones break down, their obstruction of the urinary tract is reduced. Hence the pain caused by the stones is relieved.
Besides, apple cider vinegar reduces the risk of stone formation by dissolving minerals that may form stones. It also has an alkalizing effect that boosts the digestion process and increases the production of hydrochloric acid. The acid dissolves various minerals and helps prevent the formation of new kidney stones.
To prepare apple cider vinegar as remedy for kidney stones, mix two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with 6-8 ounces of water and drink the mixture frequently throughout the day, but mostly before mealtime. You should not consume more than one 8-ounce glass of this mixture per day as excess apple cider vinegar can reduce potassium levels and cause osteoporosis.
Lemon juice remedy for kidney stones
Apart from apple cider vinegar, you can use lemon juice to dissolve kidney stones. Usually, a mixture of lemon juice with olive oil is preferred as the lemon juice provides citrate that breaks up or prevents calcium stones from forming while the olive oil helps to flush out the stones.
Mix a quarter of a cup of olive oil with equal amount of lemon juice and drink. Follow it with a glass of water. Repeat this in the afternoon, but making sure to drink plenty of water and plenty of lemon juice throughout the day.
Alternatively, you can just squeeze some lemon into your drinking water as often as you can. Unfortunately, this will require a great deal of lemon juice if it has to produce the effect you desire.
Other natural options that help with kidney stones include:
- Celery juice
- Pomegranate juice
- Basil juice
- Dandelion root juice
- Horsetail juice
- Wheatgrass juice
These juices help eliminate waste, enhance digestion, and increase urination. They are also packed with a lot of nutrients and can relieve inflammatory issues.
But as you go for the juices, also remember that drinking plenty of water is necessary. Drinking enough water prevents dehydration, dilutes urine, and hinders formation of kidney stones. Water also helps stones to pass through the urinary tract. As a rule, you should drink 6-8 ounces of water per day.
When should you see a urologist?
When kidney stones are too large and cause severe symptoms, visiting a urologist for treatment is the right option. Your doctor may prescribe medication such as tamsulosin (Flomax) to relax your ureter and make it easier for the stone to pass.
You may also be given pain and anti-nausea medicine to help you cope. Plus, your doctor may consider procedures such as extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), ureteroscopy, percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL), laparoscopy, and robotic surgery to help remove the stones.
You should see a urologist if your symptoms are becoming severe after using apple cider vinegar or lemon juice remedy for a few weeks. Indicators of worsening kidney stones include nausea, blood in urine, painful urination, severe pain in the lower back or abdomen, vomiting, fever, and chills. In fact, if you’re not able to pass the stone for six weeks then you should see your doctor to determine whether you need therapy.
At St Pete Urology, we see many patients with kidney stones on a regular basis and know exactly what to do in every situation. Our team of urologists has the skill, expertise, and experience to give effective treatments for the stones, particularly if you’re not able to pass the stones naturally.
Our range of treatments includes medication and procedures like lithotripsy (ESWL), ureteroscopy, percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL), laparoscopy, and robotic surgery. Schedule your appointment with us if your symptoms have lasted more than six weeks. For more information on the diagnosis and treatment of urologic disorders, visit the site “St Pete Urology”.
