In general, allopathy or conventional medicine offers 5 options to treat kidney or renal stones. But unfortunately these line of treatment are temporary, suppressive and associated with side effects :

• In order to combat pain, blockage and infection, pain killers like ketorlac, alpha adrenergic blocking agents (Flomax, Uroxatral and so on), NSAIDs or Narcotics (Codeine) are prescribed by allopathic doctors. The above are associated with severe side effects including damage to liver and kidneys. Also the pain returns as soon as the medications are stopped.
• Lithotripsy (SWL, ESWL) : Shock waves are focused on the stone to break up a large stone into smaller pieces that can then pass through the urinary system. But the reccurrence rate is quite high, 42% of patients will have another stone within two years. Also lithotripsy may increase subseqent incidence of diabetes and hypertension.
  Moreover, lithotripsy is contraindicated in patients with acute urinary infection, uncorrected bleeding disorders, pregnancy, sepsis, pulmonary or cardiac problems, orthopedic or spinal deformities.
• Endoscopic treatment.
• Percutaneous removal (PCNL).
• Open surgery.

All the above procedures are invasive in nature and thus associated with side effects like bleeding, infection, adhesions (scar tissue) and so on. Most importantly these do cure the tendency to formation of stones and a result there are recurrences.

Hence, to win over kidney or renal stones, one has to wage a two-staged war. The first part involves becoming stone free and the second part is to eliminate the tendency for recurrence.

Homeopathic medicines are highly effective in treating acute as well as chronic cases of renal or kidney stones (renal calculi). Homeopathy takes care of the acute pain as well as facilitates and hastens the passage of stone in the urine.

Homeoapthic treatment is highly recommended in cases where tendency of having recurrent stones is there. With homeopathy remedies more than 95% of cases escape surgery. Even in cases of kidney or renal stones where surgery has already taken place, to prevent the further occurance of the stone, homeopathic treatment is recommended.

Homeopathic medicines which are especially selected according to the individual constitution of the patient will normalize the metabolism thus preventing the further deposition of stones.

The cure rate with homeopathic remedies is as high as 98%. The stones inside the pelvis dissolve gradually and further deposition is minimized with the help of best selected homeopathic treatment. The remedies help in the passage of stones obstructing the ureteric lumen.

There are 87 homoeopathy medicines which give great relief in kidney or renal stones (renal calculi). However, the correct choice and the resulting relief is a matter of experience and right judgment on the part of the homeopathic doctor. The treatment is decided after thorough case taking of the patient. Thus homeopathic remedies of renal or kidney stoens (renal calculi) are tailor made unlike allopathy in which all patients receive the same type of drugs and surgery.

Some of the homeopathic remedies which may be used in a case of kidney or renal stones (renal calculi) under an expert homeopathy doctor are Benzoic acidum, Calcarea carbonicum, Lycopodium clavatum, Sarsaparilla, Berberis vulgaris and so on.

Thus homeopathy acts as a safe, effective, natural alternative to drugs and surgery in kidney or renal stones (renal calculi). This is one of the diseases where homoeopathy has been very effective in preventing imminent surgery.

For total cure the homeopathic treatment must be taken seriously for about 12 to 18 months depending upon the number and size of kidney or renal stones (renal calculi).

For online homeopathic treatment of kidney or renal stones (renal calculi), you may e-mail us on dr_ramanand@rediffmail.com

The kidneys are the master chemists of your body, primarily responsible for filtering metabolites and minerals from the blood circulation. These secretions are then passed to the bladder and then out of the body as urine through the urethra.

The urine has all the ingredients that form the stone, but all these ideally pass through without our knowledge. When there is an imbalance in any of these substances, the crystals cluster together into stones. In medical terminology these deposits are known as Renal Calculi. Kidney stones are clumps developed from solidified crystals in the kidney or urinary tract. The size of stone can be as small as a grain of sand to one as large as the size of a golf ball.

Kidney stones are the commonest complaint and one of the most painful of the urological disorders. Kidney stones may modify the victim's behaviour with great fear of intense pain and threaten with failure of the kidney.

One in every twenty people develops a kidney stone at some point in their life. Recurrence rates are very high around 50% over a 5-10 year period and 75% over 20 years. Men are affected approximately 4 times more often than women. The prevalance of kidney stones begins to rise when men reach their 40s, and it continues to climb into their 70s.

People who have already had more than one kidney stone are prone to develop more stones. A family history of kidney stones is also a risk factor for the development of kidney stones.

There are many potential causes of kidney stone formation. In general they are the result of a superconcentration of chemicals in the urine which further cause crystals.

A disorder in metabolism, dietary habit, dehydration, recurrent urinary tract infection, blockage of the urinary tract could alter your urine concentration :

• A positive family history (genetic tendency) also makes a person prone to kidney stone formation. Hereditory factors also play a strong role. Hypercalciuria (where there is excess of calcium excreted in urine) is also a genetically acquired factor which leads to frequent development of kidney stones.
• Metabolism : Metabolic disorder is one of the main cause of kidney or renal stones. In this body is not able to assimilate the minerals and salts such as calcium, uric acid or other salts in the blood. Metabolism is commonly impaired in endocrine disorders such as hyperparathyroidism, certain diseases like ulcerative colitis and regional entritis. In gouty arthritis the high level of uric acid in the urine can act as a breeding ground for calcium oxalate stones. On the whole the formation of kidney or renal stones is a complex process.
• Dietary habits : Diet contributes a part in the formation of renal or kidney stones and is considered a major maintaining cause. Clinically it is observed that too much of a particular food promotes kidney or renal stones. A pregnant woman was advised to take plenty of 'greens' to raise iron in the blood, and she developed renal or kidney stones which came into light because of an acute renal colic (pain). Similary a patient who had an abnormal craving for 'tomatoes' is now on the treatment for renal calculus or kidney stones. Habits like 'betel chewing' with lime should also be considered.
  Certain foods that increase the risk for kidney or renal stones in susceptible individuals include spinach, strawberries, tomatoes, grapefruit juice, apple juice, soda, and all types of teas and berries.
  An imbalance of vitamins and minerals can increase the amount of calcium oxalate in the urine; when the levels become too high, the calcium oxalate does not dissolve, and crystal may begin to form.
• Inadequate intake of fluids : Some people do not take sufficient water and fluids. In some living in high temperature areas cause sweating and loss of fluid. The above may lead to long-term dehydration resulting in concentration of urine which further leads to over concentration of metabolic byproducts in the urine.
• Infection : Chronic urinary tract infection (UTI) may predispose to stone formation. The slough and the crusts which results following an infection, would combine with high level minerals and salts to form stones. This is considerably noted in the formation of vesical calculus after chronic cystitis.
• Urinary obstruction : Urinary bloackage as in prostate enlargement, stricture urethra and limited activity for several weeks will predispose to stone formation by making sedimentation. Prostatic enlargement invariably causes stones in many patients.
• Patients with inflammatory bowel disease or who have had an intestinal bypass or ostomy surgery are also more likely to develop kidney stones.
• Some medications also raise the risk of kidney stones which include diuretics, calcium containing antacids and crixivan, a drug used to treat HIV infection.

• Calcium oxalate stones : These kidney stones are very common and are found in may patients. Most of these patients have inheritated metabolic disorder that causes increased presense of calcium in the urine.
  Consumption of low calcium diets is actually associated with a higher risk for the development of kidney stones. This is perhaps related to the role of calcium in binding ingested oxalate in the gastrointestinal tract.
• Uric acid stones : These stones are not visible on x-rays. Patients with gout often develp uric acid stones.
• Cystine stones : These type of renal stones develop due to excessive amounts of amino acid cystine in the urine. Cystinuria is an inherited condition and is uncommon.
• Silicate strurite and xanthine stones are rare.

A stone may quietly grow for years together and may remain silent for many years. Very often it is an incidental finding in routine for other illness. A kidney stone can cause problems in 2 ways :

• when it moves or
• when it grows so large that it begins to disupt kidney function and cause damage

After keeping silent for sometime, the stone may start to move downwards drawn by the urine and gravity. When the stone makes its run for freedom, it hurts the patient with severe abdominal pain with or without nause and vomitting causing :

• Colicky pain : The pain is 'loin to groin'. The pain may be felt over back or side, radiates to the groin, scrotum in men and the labia in women. It is often described as 'the worst pain' ever experienced, even more painful than gunshot, surgery, fractured bones and so on.
• Hematuria : Blood in the urine which may look as pink or orange.
• Pyuria : Pus in the urine. Cloudy or foul-smelling urine.
• Dysuria : Buring pain on urination; more typical with associated infection.
• Oligouria : Reduced urinary volume caused by obstruction of bladder or urethra by stone.
• Frequent urge to urinate.
• Abdominal distension.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Fever and chills.
• Profuse sweating.

• An x-ray of the kidneys, ureter and bladder (KUB) or an ultrasonography (USG) of the kidneys, ureter and bladder (KUB) can reveal the presense of most stones.
• Intravenous pylograms.
• Blood tests, 24 hour urine samples, provocative calcium loading tests and stone analysis to determine the type of stone, its underlying cause and proper course of treatment.

• Drink at least 3 litres of water every day, more in hot weather.
• Avoid or eat sparingly food containing calcium oxalate (spinach, strawberries, tomatoes, grapefruit juice, apple juice, chocolate, celery, bell peppers, beans, asparagus, beets, soda, and all types of teas and berries).
• Reduce uric acid by eating a low-protein diet.
• Reduce salt; higher amounts may raise the level of calcium oxalate in your urine.
• Avoid vitamin D supplements, which can increase calcium oxalate levels.