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What Beverage to Use to Pass Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are deposits of acid salts and minerals that have clumped together to form a hard, crystallized stone inside your kidneys. Passing a kidney stone is generally very painful, and the process can cause pain in the back, sides, ribs, abdomen and groin. While painful, kidney stones are generally not serious in nature. Drinking large quantities of water or other clear liquids can help flush a kidney stone.

  1. Symptoms

    • Symptoms of a kidney stone will generally not make themselves known until the stone has passed into the ureter (the tube that connects the kidneys to the bladder). At this point you may experience pain in the back, sides and beneath the ribs; fluctuations in the intensity of the pain; pain that radiates in waves; bloody or cloudy urine; a persistent urge to urinate; nausea; vomiting; and chills and a fever if there is an infection.

    How to Pass Kidney Stones

    • The best way to pass a kidney stone is by consuming large quantities of water and keeping physically active. Kidney stones must travel through the kidneys, out through the ureters, into the bladder, into the urethra and finally out of the body. Stay hydrated and provide plenty of fluid to help push kidney stones through by consuming up to three quarts of water and other clear liquids per day. Avoid black Indian tea, as it contains high levels of oxalate, a compound thought to lead to the development of kidney stones.

      In some instances you may not be able to pass a larger kidney stone on your own. Speak to your physician about help with kidney stone removal. Your physician may recommend extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), which involves the use of shock waves to break down the large kidney stone into small pieces, which your body will then be able to pass. You will need to continue drinking large quantities of water in order to pass the small kidney stones.

      In other cases, your physician will need to place a small flexible tube, a stent, into your ureter to keep it open wide enough for kidney stones to pass. In rare instances, kidney stones may need to be surgically removed.

    Pain Management

    • The passing of a kidney stone is often described as an excruciating experience. Manage pain by consuming plenty of water to help flush a kidney stone out of your body. Speak to your physician about over-the-counter pain relievers or prescription pain medications you can take while passing a kidney stone.

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