Will Drinking a Lot of Water Help Get Rid of Kidney Stones?

Although painful, most kidney stones pass by themselves. Stones can be caused by dehydration and dietary factors. Without a doubt, drinking large amounts of water is a good idea. There are also some other things to do that will make a stubborn stone pass more easily and prevent more stones from occurring.

Water as a Preventative

• To prevent kidney stones, known to doctors as renal calculi, most people should drink an average of 2.5 liters of water a day. This amount replaces the 1.5 liters lost in urine and an additional liter lost from sweat, breathing, and bowel movements. A person who rarely feels thirsty and produces urine that is clear or very light yellow is drinking enough water.

Water as a Cure

• To flush out a kidney stone, try drinking a large amount of water--two quarts should do it--and wait 20 minutes to give your kidneys a chance to increase their fluid volume. Then exercise! Run up and down the stairs or march vigorously around the room. There's a good chance the stone will dislodge. Also, wait until the bladder is full to urinate and do so with as much force as possible. The pressure may carry the stone out of the body.

Water With Lemon Juice

• To an eight-ounce glass of water add the juice of half a fresh lemon. Take this drink every half hour until pain is relieved. Fresh raw apple juice, and vinegar also work because of the phosphoric acid in these substances.

Helpful Herbs

• To lessen pain, relax the ureters and allow the kidney stone to pass, take 4 drops of lobelia tincture and 15 drops of wild yam tincture in a glass of water. Sip slowly and repeat every six hours as needed.
  Goldenseal is a strong diuretic herb that has anti-inflammatory properties, but should not be used for more than two days. The same caution goes for Uva Ursi, which is also diuretic and has anti-bacterial properties.
  Cornsilk is a mild diuretic. The leaves of stinging ettle have a nourishing and protective effect on the kidneys.

Plant Fiber

• Water-soluble fiber helps remove kidney stones. Watermelon, broccoli and asparagus have the most soluble fiber. Stones may be formed from high levels of uric acid or calcium, or both. Red meats and other rich foods are high in uric acid, and the use of calcium antiacids havs been implicated in stone formation. Eliminating almost all processed foods and animal proteins from your diet and eating foods that have a high water and fiber content are sure ways to keep kidney stones from forming.

Warning

• See a doctor if fever and chills develop or if urine smells bad or is cloudy, or a burning sensation accompanies urination, as these are all signs of infection. Bloody urine, vomiting and pain that will not go away are indications that medical help is needed as well.