Kidney stones and Homeopathy

  

Kidney stones, also called renal calculi, are solid concretions (crystal aggregations) of dissolved minerals in urine; calculi typically form inside the kidneys or bladder. The terms nephrolithiasis and urolithiasis refer to the presence of calculi in the kidneys and urinary tract, respectively.

A kidney stone is a hard, crystalline mineral material formed within the kidney or urinary tract. Kidney stones are a common cause of blood in the urine (hematuria) and often severe pain in the abdomen, flank, or groin. 

Symptoms

A kidney stone may not cause symptoms until it moves around within your kidney or passes into your ureter, the tube connecting the kidney and bladder. At that point, you may experience these signs and symptoms:

• Severe pain in the side and back, below the ribs
• Pain that spreads to the lower abdomen and groin
• Pain that comes in waves and fluctuates in intensity
• Pain on urination
• Pink, red or brown urine
• Cloudy or foul-smelling urine
• Nausea and vomiting
• Persistent need to urinate
• Urinating more often than usual
• Fever and chills if an infection is present
• Urinating small amounts of urine
• Pain caused by a kidney stone may change — for instance, shifting to a different location or increasing in intensity — as the stone moves through your urinary tract.

Symptoms and signs:

• HYPEREXCRETION OF RELATIVELY INSOLUBLE RINARY CONSTITUENTS such as oxalates, calcium, uric acid, cystine and certain drugs (such as magnesium trisilicate in the treatment of peptic ulcer).
• PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES IN URINE such as Urinary pH (which is influenced by diet and medicines), Colloid content, Decreased concentration of crystalloids, Urinary magnesium/calcium ratio.
• ALTERED URINARY CRYSTALLOIDS AND COLLOIDS.
• Either there is an increase in the crystalloid level or a fall in the colloid level, urinary stones may be formed.
• If there is any modification of the colloids e. g. they lose their solvent action or adhesive property, urinary stones may develop.
• DECREASED URINARY OUTPUT OF CITRATE.
• VITAMIN A DEFICIENCY.
• The desquamated cells form nidus for stone formation. This is more applicable to bladder stones.
• URINARY INFECTION.
• Infection disturbs the colloid content of the urine, also causes abnormality in the colloids (which may cause the crystalloid to be precipitated).
• Infection also changes urinary pH and also causes increase in concentration of crystalloids.
• It causes a shift of the pH of the urine to the alkaline side, predisposes urinary infection, and allows the crystalloids to precipitate.
• Due to overproduction of parathormone the bones become decalcified and calcium concentration in the urine is increased. This extra calcium may be deposited in the renal tubules or in the pelvis to form renal calculus.
• PROLONGED IMMOBILISATION.
• NIDUS OF STONE FORMATION.

Types of kidney stones

Knowing the type of kidney stone helps determine the cause and may give clues on how to reduce your risk of getting more kidney stones. Types of kidney stones include:

Calcium stones. Most kidney stones are calcium stones, usually in the form of calcium oxalate. Oxalate is a naturally occurring substance found in food. Some fruits and vegetables, as well as nuts and chocolate, have high oxalate levels. Your liver also produces oxalate. Dietary factors, high doses of vitamin D, intestinal bypass surgery and several metabolic disorders can increase the concentration of calcium or oxalate in urine. Calcium stones may also occur in the form of calcium phosphate.

Struvite stones. Struvite stones form in response to an infection, such as a urinary tract infection. These stones can grow quickly and become quite large, sometimes with few symptoms or little warning.

Uric acid stones. Uric acid stones can form in people who don't drink enough fluids or who lose too much fluid, those who eat a high-protein diet, and those who have gout. Certain genetic factors also may increase your risk of uric acid stones.

Cystine stones. These stones form in people with a hereditary disorder that causes the kidneys to excrete too much of certain amino acids (cystinuria).

Other stones. Other, rarer types of kidney stones also can occur.

Factors that increase your risk of developing kidney stones include:

Family or personal history. If someone in your family has kidney stones, you're more likely to develop stones, too. And if you've already had one or more kidney stones, you're at increased risk of developing another.

Dehydration. Not drinking enough water each day can increase your risk of kidney stones. People who live in warm climates and those who sweat a lot may be at higher risk than others.

Certain diets. Eating a diet that's high in protein, sodium and sugar may increase your risk of some types of kidney stones. This is especially true with a high-sodium diet. Too much sodium in your diet increases the amount of calcium your kidneys must filter and significantly increases your risk of kidney stones.

Being obese. High body mass index (BMI), large waist size and weight gain have been linked to an increased risk of kidney stones.

Digestive diseases and surgery. Gastric bypass surgery, inflammatory bowel disease or chronic diarrhea can cause changes in the digestive process that affect your absorption of calcium and water, increasing the levels of stone-forming substances in your urine.

Other medical conditions. Diseases and conditions that may increase your risk of kidney stones include renal tubular acidosis, cystinuria, hyperparathyroidism, certain medications and some urinary tract infections.

Symptoms of Renal calculi

• Colicky pain: “loin to groin”. Often described as “the worst pain […] ever experienced”.
• Hematuria: blood in the urine, due to minor damage to inside wall of kidney, ureter and/or urethra.
• Pyuria: pus (white blood cells) in the urine.
• Dysuria: burning on urination when passing stones (rare). More typical of infection.
• Oliguria: reduced urinary volume caused by obstruction of the bladder or urethra by stone, or extremely rarely, simultaneous obstruction of both ureters by a stone.
• Abdominal distension.
• Nausea/vomiting: embryological link with intestine – stimulates the vomiting center.
• Fever and chills.
• Hydronephrosis.
• Postrenal azotemia: when kidney stone blocks ureter.
• Frequency in micturition: Defined as an increase in number of voids per day (>than 5 times), but not an increase of total urine output per day (2500 ml). That would be called polyuria.
• Loss of appetite.
• Loss of weight.

Tips for patients

• Fluid intake should he high at all times. Drink 5 Litres of fluid - water, lassi , juice etc.
• Avoidance of milk, cheese and great deal of calcium should be advised. 
• Avoid Spinach, cauliflower, tomatoes. In case you have to put tomatoes, please deseed and deskin them.
• Urine should be kept acid all the time. Alkalies should be prohibited or used in lesser quantities in those patients who are suffering from peptic ulcer.
• Vitamin D should be stopped or used in very low quantity.
• Patients with hyperuricemia should avoid red meats, offal and fish, which are rich in purines, and should receive treatment with allopurinol.
• Eggs, meat and fish are high in sulphur containing proteins and should be restricted in patients with cystinuria.

Treatment in homeopathy

The homeopathic medicines are selected after a full individualizing examination and case-analysis, which includes the medical history of the patient, physical and mental constitution etc. A miasmatic tendency (predisposition/susceptibility) is also often taken into account for the treatment of chronic conditions. The medicines given below indicate the therapeutic affinity but this is not a complete and definite guide to the treatment of this condition. The symptoms listed against each medicine may not be directly related to this disease because in homeopathy general symptoms and constitutional indications are also taken into account for selecting a remedy. To study any of the following remedies in more detail, please visit our Materia Medica section. None of these medicines should be taken without professional advice.

Homeopathic medicines

Argentum nit., Belladonna, Benzoic acid, Berberis, Calcarea carb, Cantharis, Chimaphila umb etc.

Many medicines are there only few are named here. These medicines are only suggestive and should not be taken without consulting a homoeopathic physician.