Kidney Stone Cure

The agonizing pain of kidney stones has been compared to the pain of childbirth. The pain can become unbearable as the stones travel from the kidney through the urinary tract and exit the body. But some stones don't exit themselves, and the patient must seek medical care, usually from a urologist.

Types

• According to the Mayo Clinic, kidney stones form when the fluid, minerals and acids in the urine are out of balance. Struvite, or stag horn, stones are often caused by urinary-tract infections. Uric acid stones can be caused by a high-protein diet. A small percentage of kidney stones are cystine. They are hereditary and are caused by an excessive amount of certain amino acids. Most stones are calcium-based, regardless of the type.

Symptoms

• The Mayo Clinic describes kidney-stone symptoms as fluctuating pain in the side and back below the ribs; bloody, cloudy or foul-smelling urine; pain during urination' nausea and vomiting, a persistent urge to urinate, and fever and chills. Not all kidney stones cause these symptoms, however. Some are found during X-ray exams for other medical problems. You should see a doctor at the onset of any of the symptoms.

Cure

• There are several ways to get rid of kidney stones. Your physician may first have you drink large amounts of water to flush them out. If the stones are too big to pass, the doctor may order lipotripsy. In this procedure, you would sit in a tub of water as shock waves burst the stones. Some cases require surgery. The surgeon uses either a hand-held laser to crush the stones or a device to grab the stones and pull them out.

Warning

• Kidney stones do not usually cause serious problems despite the pain they can inflict. But the potential for serious problems does exist. If a stone blocks or impedes the urine flow, kidney damage can occur. Such damage can prevent the kidneys from doing their job of removing waste from the blood system. Kidney stones also increase the risk of bladder- or urinary-tract infections.

Prevention

• One of the best ways to avoid kidney stones is to drink plenty of water--enough to produce two quarts of urine a day. Water rids the body of excess calcium that can form a stone. You may also incorporate diet modifications. Foods like chocolate, deep green vegetables, berries and nuts can form stones. Iced tea can also form stones in some people.