Ayurvedic Treatment for Kidney Stone
A kidney stone or renal calculi, nephrolithiasis, or urolithiasis may be defined as an irregular-shaped solid mass made of minerals that form inside your kidneys. The size of the mass of a crystal can either be less than a grain of sand or it can be equal to the size of a golf ball. Although the size of a kidney doe matter, sometimes you may not even notice the smaller stones. However, the smaller stones cause severe pain while passing out through the urinary tract. Generally, the kidney stones originate in kidneys but they can grow in any part of the urinary tract like
- Kidneys
- Ureters
- Bladder
- Urethra
Kidney Stones as per Ayurveda
In Ayurveda texts, kidney stone is termed as “ Vrukka Ashmari” ( Vrukka means Kidney, and Ashmari means stone). The Ayurveda says that an unhealthy lifestyle and improper diet cause imbalance in doshas and digestive fire. The imbalance in doshas and digestive fire results in the formation of toxins ( Ama) in the body which along with the aggravated doshas travel through the urine channels and form kidney stones due to crystallization.
What causes kidney stones?
Substances in your urine form kidney stones and these substances pass normally through your urinary system. However, due to the insufficient urine volume, these substances don’t move and become intense due to crystallization. Below are some of the stone-forming substances:
- Calcium.
- Oxalate.
- Uric acid
- Phosphate.
- Cystine (rare).
- Xanthine (rare).
Causes
- Minerals and chemicals that are present in the urine can cause chronic kidney stones due to crystallization.
- Urinary tract infection
- Blockage of the urinary tract. When the blockage of the urinary can also cause kidney stones.
- An excessive amount of Vitamin D
- Imbalance in minerals
- Kidney disease
- Excessive loss of water from the body ( dehydration of diarrhea)
- Unhealthy dietary habits.
- Working under extremely stressful conditions
- Certain medications or calcium-based medicines.
- Heredity
Types
- Calcium stones form when excess calcium is retained by the kidneys rather than flashing it out of the body.
- Uric acid stones form due to a lack of water.
- Struvite stones are kidney stones that form after UTI containing magnesium and ammonia.
- Cystine stones develop when cysteine, a substance present in the muscles, builds up in urine. These types of stones are very rare.
Symptoms
- Severe or sharp pain in your lower back may force you to visit the emergency room.
- Painful nausea or vomiting.
- Blood in your urine (hematuria)
- Painful urination
- Difficulty to urinate
- Feeling the need to urinate more than normal
- Fever or chills.
- Having urine that smells bad or looks cloudy.
Diagnosis and Tests
To diagnose the kidney stones, your healthcare provider will ask your medical history and may recommend the following tests:
- Imaging tests to see the size, shape, location, and the number of kidney stones.
- Blood test to check how well your kidney is functioning.
- Urine test to examine the infection and substance levels that form kidney stones.
Treatment
Once you are diagnosed with kidney stones, your healthcare will decide about the treatment based on the size of the stone. Smaller stones don’t need any treatment as they pass out while urinating. However, if the stones are big, then the healthcare provider will go the treatment and which include:
- Medications. Medications may be given to:
- Decrease pain
- Manage nausea/vomiting.
- Relax your ureter so that the stones pass
- Surgery. Four types of surgeries are performed to treat kidney stones of which three are minimally invasive means that the surgeon will make a small incision or will enter your body through your natural opening like the urethra. The four types of surgeries are:
- Ureteroscopy
- Shockwave lithotripsy
- Percutaneous nephrolithotomy
- Open stone surgery
To manage kidney stone problems naturally, Ayurvedic medicines or remedies are worth considering. Ayurvedic treatment for kidney stone disease mainly focuses to balance the Vata, Pitta, and Kapha dosha along with the detoxification of the kidneys. In Ayurveda, there are several natural herbs like Varuna, Punarnava, Gokshuru, etc that improve the functions of kidneys and are helpful to deal with the problem of kidney stones.
Below are Life Aveda`s Premium herbal products that you can use to control Kidney stone Disease:
- Punarnuva Capsule : Punarnava Capsules possess diuretic properties and are known to support healthy kidney, lung, and cardiac functions. Since it has diuretic properties, it is known to treat edema or accumulated toxins that are present in the form of fluid in the body. These capsules also balance Tridoshas (Vata, Pitta, and Kapha). Punarnava is anti-inflammatory which makes it useful in arthritis and has potent hepato-protective properties.
- Kidney Restore : Kidney Restore`s herbal formulation is rich in antioxidants which provide total renal protection, detoxification, and rejuvenation. The formula helps to lower UTIs and promotes healthy kidney functions.
- Varuna Capsule : Varuna capsule consists of a standardized extract of Varuna herb which helps in balancing Vata dosha and reducing inflammation. It aids the kidneys to function properly along with boosting the metabolism. Varuna is a diuretic and is known to remove stones naturally since it is a lithophytic herb that means it can break stones.
Conclusion
Kidney stone is a common disorder and the stones can either be smaller or larger. Drinking insufficient fluids can be the major cause of the problem but certain other factors like obesity, unhealthy dietary habits, and a sedentary lifestyle can also cause kidney stones. If you are struggling with a kidney stone problem, the above-mentioned herbal products can help you a long way to deal with the problem.
