What Are They, and How Do You Get Rid of Them?
You may think that the only obvious symptom to determine kidney stones is frequent urination or an interrupted an uneven stream. (When urinating)
But there are many more symptoms that you need to also look for.
People may experience:
- Pain areas: in the back or side part of the body
- Pain types: can be severe, sharp, or sudden in the abdomen
- Pain circumstances: can occur during urination
- Gastrointestinal: nausea or vomiting
- Urinary: blood in urine or frequent urination
- Also common: sweating
What Are Kidney Stones?
As the kidneys filter waste from the blood, they create urine. Sometimes, salts and other minerals in urine stick together to form small kidney stones. These range from the size of a sugar crystal to a ping pong ball, but they are rarely noticed unless they cause a blockage. They may cause intense pain if they break loose and push into the ureters, the narrow ducts leading to the bladder.
The internet lists several home remedies – From a medical perspective, the home remedies seem harmless. At Florida Urology Physicians, we recommend that you see a Urologist and take care of this problem. Click here to schedule an appointment with a Urologist at one of our five offices in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Bonita Springs, Lehigh Acres or Punta Gorda.
We scoured the internet looking for home remedies. (Our Southwest Florida urologists don’t recommend that you actually try these, it is just fun to see what people will do to try to get rid of the dreaded kidney stones)
1. Lemon Juice and Olive Oil
Sounds awful, doesn’t it? People do claim success in mixing a concoction of lemon juice and olive oil to help dissolve kidney stones as a popular home remedy. Proponents of this method claim that at the first notice of symptoms; mix five ounces of olive oil with five ounces of lemon juice. Drink this combination straight and then drink a glass of water. You should blend this concoction and drink it straight first thing in the morning and again in the late afternoon. Be sure to drink plenty of water as well and extra lemon juice, if possible. Continue this treatment for several days until the stone passes. It is thought that the lemon juice could break down the kidney stones and the olive oil would aid in lubrication to pass the stone more easily. Extra-virgin olive oil is thought to be the best olive oil ingredient to use because it is the thickest and healthiest.
This sounds more like a colon cleaner. If you are brave enough to try this one, chances are, you need to call Florida Urology Physicians right now!
2. Apple Cider Vinegar
Makes your mouth pucker just thinking of it. Some home remedy enthusiasts swear by the use of apple cider vinegar to treat kidney stones. The theory behind it is that apple cider vinegar is made of citric acid that which could play a role in dissolving kidney stones, helping the body pass the stones more easily. In addition, it is believed that apple cider vinegar helps in the prevention of kidney stones to begin with by alkalizing the effect on blood and urine and promoting the production of hydrochloric acid in the body to prevent the formation of kidney stones. Proponents of this home remedy recommend mixing two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with six to eight ounces of water and drinking the mixture frequently throughout the day, and especially before meal times to help dissolve kidney stones. Drinking ample amounts of fresh water throughout the day is also suggested to help flush the kidneys. If the stones are passed, you are advised to continue drinking this solution one to two times a week to prevent future kidney stones from forming.
Is it surprising to see vinegar on this list of home remedies. Is there nothing this magical rotten apple juice can’t do? You probably still will have the stone but your pipes will be clean.
3. Coke and Asparagus
Sounds interesting, doesn’t it? A common home remedy for kidney stones involves drinking a large amount of Coke and following it up by consuming a half-pound of steamed asparagus, pureed. Followers of this method suggest that the phosphoric acid found in Coke aids in dissolving the kidney stones. Asparagus is used as a diuretic. Coke alone will dehydrate you, which is not a good thing if you are suffering from kidney stones. It is the interaction with the diuretic asparagus and the phosphoric acid in the Coke that is the key to breaking down the kidney stone and allowing it to pass.
The University of Chicago characterized this home remedy as “useless”
How Successful are These Treatments?
In short . . .not very. There have been many reports of people using these natural methods, but the efficacy is unsubstantiated. Some people report success with these home remedies, but none of these treatments are based in scientific fact. For every anecdotal success story posted online, there are hundreds more stories of failures (and probably upset stomachs). So, what natural remedies DO work?
Read More on Kidney Stones Here.
If you feel you may have kidney stones, we advise you see one of the expert Urologists at Florida Urology Physicians. Don’t delay. If the pain is at a level that concerns you, chances are, you will not be able to pass your stones on your own.
Set up an appointment today. Click here to book an appointment with one of our Urologists today.
