Kidney Stones
Kidney stones are collections of calcium, struvite (a combination of ammonia, magnesium, and phosphorus), or uric acid that clump together in the kidney or ureter (the tube thar passes from the kidney to the bladder). Various diseases can cause kidney stones, including gout, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), sarcoidosis, and chronic urinary tract infections. Other causes include dehydration, vitamin D excess, and antacids that contain calcium. Kidney stones usually do not lead to harmful effects, but they can indicate underlying diseases that need evaluation and treatment.
Common Symptoms
- Excruciating or sharp pain that begins in the flank (side) and can go to the groin.
- Nausea and vomiting
- Profuse sweating
- Blood in the urine
- Decreased urine output
- Abdominal distention
- Fever and chills (if infected)
What You Need to Know
The major purpose of treatment is to prevent recurrences of kidney stones. Because there are several types of kidney stones, it is helpful to strain your urine and collect the stone so that its composition can be determined.
General Recommendations
Diet: Kidney stone formation is directly associated with several dietary factors, including low fiber intake, high refined carbohydrates, high alcohol consumption, increased animal protein, high fat intake, and high calcium/low vitamin D/magnesium-entiched milk products. Reversing these dietary habits will help you prevent kidney stones. In addition, I also recommend high intake of fluids (36 to 48 ounces per day). Contrary to popular belief, calcium supplementation DOES NOT increase the frequency of stones; on the contrary, restricted calcium does. If your stones are made of uric acid, you should avoid foods with high purine content (which breaks down into uric acid). These include red meats in particular, and shellfish, yeast, herring, sardines, mackerel, and anchovies.
Your balanced healing action plan for Acute Kidney Stones
Step 1: Wait It Out
If your symptoms are not severe, you can wait until the kidney stone passes, although this can take several weeks. I have found it effective to take a very hot bath or soak in a hot tub, while flushing the kidneys with fluids, including beer.
Step 2: Take Prescription Pain Medications
If your pain is severe and urination is decreased, you may require narcotic medications (Demerol or codeine derivatives) until the stone passes. If your urine output does not increase and/or you become dehydrated, you may need to be hospitalized for intravenous fluids. When urination improves, you can take oral fluids.
Step 3: Undergo Lithotripsy to Break Up Stones That Don’t Pass
If your kidney stones have not passed and you continue having severe pain, I recommend lithotripsy. This method uses sound waves to break up kidney stones that are too large to pass on their own or that cause complete obstruction.
Step 4: Undergo Surgery
The last resort for kidney stones that cause significant problems is surgical removal. Surgery is usually done through an endoscope, but open surgeries occasionally are required.
Your Balanced Healing Action Plan to Prevent Kidney Stones
Step 1: Take Vitamin B6, Vitamin K, Magnesium, and Calcium Citrate
To prevent recurrent kidney stones, I first recommend taking nutritional supplementl containing 25mg of vitamin B6, 2mg of vitamin K, and 600mg of magnesium. Calcium citrate (300mg to 1000mg per day) is also very effective for reducing stones, and it can It taken with the other nutrients. These supplements inhibit oxalate stone formation by reducing oxalate production and increasing its excretion. Take these supplements together for the best results, although you can take them separately if blood testing reveab a deficiency in a particular supplement.
Step 2: Drink Cranberry Juice
Along with the previous step, drink eight ounces a day of cranberry juice to reduce the amount of ionized calcium in the urine. Some juice products have a high sugar content, so look for unsweetened products. Cranberry concentrates or capsules (300mg to 400mg twice daily) are also effective.
Step 3: Take Folic Acid
If you have been able to have your stones analyzed and they are made of uric acid, folic acid (5mg per day), which inhibits an enzyme responsible for producing uric acid.