Kidney stones
From Wiki4CAM
Kidney stones, renal stones, renal calculi, nephrolithiasis or urolithiasis refer to the hard solid mass resulting from crystallisation of some dissolved substances in the urine.[1] [2] It is a common problem. There is a tendency in some people who have kidney stones. They often get them again in the future. Kidney stones often occur in premature infants. Certain conditions like renal tubular acidosis and resultant nephrocalcinosis are are seem to be risk factors. Some types of stones tend to run in families. Certain kinds of stones can occur with bowel disease, ileal bypass for obesity, or renal tubule defects.
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Causes
Kidney stones can form when the urine contains too much of certain substances. These substances can create small crystals that become stones. It also form when the components of urine — fluid and various minerals and acids — are out of balance. When this happens, the urine contains more crystal-forming substances, such as calcium and uric acid, than the available fluid can dilute. At the same time urine may be short of substances that keep crystals from sticking together and becoming stones. Kidney stones are also prone to develop in highly acidic or highly alkaline urine. Sometimes it is due to the problems in the absorbtion and elimination of substances like calcium. An inherited metabolic disorder or kidney disease can also be a cause. Inflammatory bowel disease and gout promote specific types of kidney stones. 'Drugs including furosemide (Lasix), used in treating heart failure and high blood pressure; topiramate (Topamax), an anti-seizure drug; and indinavir (Crixivan), which is used to treat human immunodeficiency virus, the cause of AIDS also can cause kidney stone formation.
Risk factors
These factors may increase the risk of developing kidney stones:
- Lack of fluids: Not drinking enough fluids, especially water, would make the urine to have higher concentrations of substances that can form stones. That is why people live in a hot, dry climate or exercise strenuously without replacing lost fluids often suffer from kidney stone.
- Family or personal history: If someone in the family has kidney stones, others more likely to develop stones too. And if a person already had one or more kidney stones, he/she is at increased risk of developing another.
- Age and sex: Most people who develop kidney stones are between 20 and 70 years of age. Men are more likely to develop kidney stones than are women.
- Diet: A high-protein, high-sodium and low-calcium diet may increase the risk of some types of kidney stones.
- Limited activity: People who are bedridden or very sedentary for a long period of time are more prone to develop kidney stones. That is partly because limited activity can cause the bones to release more calcium.
- Obesity: High body mass index (BMI), increased waist size and weight gain have been linked to kidney stones in long-term studies of large populations. The relationship is strongest in women.
- High blood pressure: Having high blood pressure doubles the risk of forming kidney stones.
- Gastric bypass surgery, inflammatory bowel disease or chronic diarrhea: Changes in the digestive process affect the absorption of calcium and increase the levels of stone-forming substances in the urine.
Types of stones
- Calcium stones: Roughly four out of five kidney stones are calcium stones, usually in the form of calcium oxalate. Oxalate is found in some fruits and vegetables, but the liver produces most of the body's oxalate supply. Dietary factors, high doses of vitamin D, intestinal bypass surgery and several different metabolic disorders can increase the concentration of calcium or oxalate in urine.
- Struvite stones: Found more often in women, struvite stones are almost always the result of urinary tract infections. Struvite stones may be large enough to fill most of a kidney's urine-collecting space, forming a characteristic stag's-horn shape.
- Uric acid stones: These stones are formed of uric acid, a byproduct of protein metabolism. People who eat a high-protein diet they are more likely to develop uric acid stones. Gout also leads to uric acid stones. Certain genetic factors and disorders of the blood-producing tissues also may predispose you to the condition.
- Cystine stones: These stones represent only a small percentage of kidney stones. They form in people with a hereditary disorder that causes the kidneys to excrete excessive amounts of certain amino acids (cystinuria).
Symptoms
- Abdominal pain
- Abnormal urine color
- Blood in the urine
- Chills
- Excess urination at night
- Fever
- Flank pain or back pain (colicky (spasm-like), may move lower in flank, pelvis, groin, genitals, on one or both sides, progressive, severe)
- Groin pain
- Nausea, vomiting
- Painful urination
- Testicle pain
- Urinary frequency/urgency
- Urinary hesitancy
CAM therapies for kidney stones
Acupuncture
Following are the useful points for renal stones.
- Shenshu (UB 23)
- Pangguangshu (UB 28)
- Zusanli (St 36)
- Guangyuan (Ren 4)
- Zhongji (Ren 3)
- Sanyingjiao(Sp 6)
- Yinlingquan (Sp 9)
- Shuidao (St 28)
Ayurveda and Herbal remedies
In ayurveda, kidney stone is termed as Ashmari. Ayurvedic physicians diagnose and prescribe depending on the doshic imbalance. Following preparations are useful in kidney stones. Rasayan churna helps in the passage of urine. Punarva reduces the internal swelling of the urinary passages due to the passage of stone. Kadu is used to remove the doshas. Bang bhasma is used for constrictions in the urinary passage. Suvarna bang bhasma is for infection and pus in the urinary tract. Gomutraksha and Vayavarnaare mainly given for the breakage of kidney stones. Vayavarna, has some diuretic action which increases the urinary output.
Apart from the above following branded/patent products can be useful. Gokshura Kada is an oral liquid, promoting easy urination and relieves burning sensation. It can be taken 3 to 4 times a day in doses of 15ml with equal quantity of water. Patherina is in the form of tablet, a specific Ayurvedic remedy for stones. Dosage is 1 tab twice a day along with a glass of water. Cystone Tablet (Himalaya Drugs) is to be taken 1 to 2 tablets twice daily for 6 to 8 weeks. Calcury Tablet (Charak) can be taken as 1 to 2 tablets twice or thrice daily for 6 to 8 weeks. Chander Prabha Vati is useful in burning micturition, which can be taken 1 tablet twice daily.
Home remedies
Small stones can be managed with home remedies itself. Coconut water and barley water would help in burning urination and scanty urine. It also flushes out small particles of dissolved stones through urination, if taken regularly. Water melon is a safe diuretic, which can also be used for kidney stones. Onion is also useful in the form of decoction. It can be made by adding some water and sugar to onion bulbs. In the same way decoction of Kulathi Dal can be prepared and used for kidney stones. Soda water can be taken thrice daily after meals.
Homeopathy
Homeopathic remedies are prescribed by symptoms rather than conditions, as each case of a particular illness can manifest differently in different people. There are many drugs in Homoeopathy which relieve pain, to expel stones, to break stones, and for its associated complaints. Some of those are Berberis vulgaris, Ocimum canum, Lycopodium, Sarasaparilla, Pareira Brava, Calcarea carbonica, Urtica urens, Nat phos, Terebinth, Belladona, Dioscorea, Cantharis, Hydrangea, Millefolium, Uva ursi, etc. As mentioned above depending upon the symptoms present in the patient, drug selection differs. These Homoeopathy medicines not only relieve pain but also treat the condition permanently.
