The kidney is a part of the urinary tract. The urinary tract comprises the kidney, the ureter, the bladder and the urethra. One of the main functions of the kidney is to remove waste products and excessive fluid from the body. This excessive fluid and waste products are removed through urine.
Some of the elements that make up urine are potassium, water, sodium. uric acid, Oxalate, phosphate and calcium.If the levels of these particles become too concentrated or the urine becomes too acidic then the particles can stick together and crystallize and thus become a kidney stone.
Kidney stone also referred to renal calculi or nephrolithiasis is a hard mass of crystals made up of minerals and salts that form inside your kidneys.. Over time some of these can grow in size.The two main types of kidney stones are calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate while cysteine, struvite and uric acid may also formas types of kidney stones. The most common type of kidney stone however is the calcium oxalate which like the others, when formed in the kidney can be small and undetectable but sometimes they can become quite large.
Those who are prone to having calcium oxalate stones are better off restricting foods rich in oxalates. These include chocolate, okra, beets,sweet potato and black pepper. Stones can be undetectable in the kidney until it starts to move down to the ureter. if it gets too big then it may start to scratch the walls of the ureter as it moves down to the bladder and that’s when it can causes pain.
The scar it leaves on the ureter can also cause one to see blood in the urine. You can also experience a burning pain urinating as well as having the feeling of nausea and vomiting. On other occasions if the stone gets too big and becomes lodged in the ureter it may block the flow of urine thereby causing a backlog of urine in the kidney and could cause more infection even causing one or more kidneys to swell which could lead to kidney damage.
For the most part however most stones do not grow this big to block the urethra plus drinking plenty of water will normally flush out a lot of kidney stone. Your doctor may also give you alpha blocker medication such as flomax to help to relax the muscles in the urethra and allow the stone to pass through with less pain.
For some kidney stones depending on the size and location the doctor may need to use sound waves to break up the stones into tiny pieces that can be passed out in the urine If sound wave treatment is unsuccessful then the doctor may need to perform surgery by way of a small incision in your back and then use small telescopes and instruments to break up the stone.
Some Natural treatment that works for kidney stones are
1. Water
when trying to pass Stone increases your water intake in order to speed up the process. Drinking plenty of water is one way of passing stones while staying hydrated also prevents stones from forming. Dehydration is a major factor why stones are formed in the kidney. Dark yellow urine is a sign off dehydration and it is also a sign to you that you need to drink more water. Water helps to dilute the calcium oxalate and other compounds.
2. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar contains acetic acid which helps to dissolve kidney stones apple cider vinegar also helps ease the pain caused by kidney stones. only about 1 or 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar should be mixed in an 8-oz glass of water do not consume more than one 8-oz glass of this mixture per day
3. Pomegranate Juice
this juice helps to lower the urine acidity level thereby reducing the risk of stone buildup in the kidney.the juice is packed with a lot of antioxidants thatI will flush out not only stones but other toxins from the kidney There is no limit to the amount of pomegranate juice you can drink per day
4. Wheatgrass Juice
wheatgrass contains a lot of nutrients that helps to cleanse the kidneys wheatgrass also increases urine flow in order to pass Stones Out taking wheatgrass on an empty stomach has the potential to reduce the symptoms of nausea you can consume about 2 to 8 oz of wheatgrass juice per day
5. Basil Juice
Like apple cider vinegar Bizzle juice contains acetic acid that helps to break down kidney stones and reduce pain basil juice also contains antioxidants anti-inflammatory properties that help to maintain a healthy kidney function you can drink several cups of basil leaf per day to help alleviate kidney stone pain