Kidney Stones Treatment

As we've seen, kidney stones that have begun to move down out of the kidney can cause excruciating pain and other unpleasant symptoms. These stones can also have serious health implications, so kidney stone treatment is essential.

Like most ailments, you have a choice between conventional allopathic medicine and a bevy of natural treatments.

Whatever therapy you choose, it is essential to determine what type of stone you have as treatments differ for different types of stone. For example, if you use drugs to treat your kidney stones, the medicine that works for calcium stones won't work for struvite stones.  If you choose an alternative approach based on diet, the regimen for uric acid stones probably won't work for calcium stones. 

On the allopathic front, things have come a long way in recent years. It used to be that surgery was the only answer but now doctors have an array of sophisticated tools to deal with kidney stones.

Medication is generally considered as the first option for patients reporting symptoms. The most common drugs are the OTC nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAID) which include ibuprofen, naproxen, and nifedipine. These are analgesic and help to speed up the passage of ureteral stones down the uterer. Intravenous analgesics can be provided by the doctor in the case of severe pain.

For calcium stones, the most common type, the standard medication is thiazide diuretic. If they are caused by renal tubular acidosis, you may be prescribed alkalines such as sodium or potassium bicarbonate.

Struvite Stones are caused by bacteria so the standard medication is antibiotics.

For uric acid stones, you need to take medication such as Zyloprim or Aloprim which reduces the level of uric acid in your blood and urine.

The most common non-invasive approach is to use shock waves. First the location of the stone is determined by ultrasound or x-ray. Then the doctor or technician uses a machine to directs shock waves directly into the kidney stone causing it to fragment into small pieces which can then move easily out of your system via the urethra and bladder.

The proper name for this treatment is extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). Lithotripsy is derived from the Greek words meaning 'stone crushing'.

If surgery is deemed necessary, there are several options depending on the type of stone, the size of the stone and the position of the stone.

For large stones still in the kidney the most common form of operation is known as tunnel surgery. In this method officially known as percutaneous nephrolithotomy, the doctor makes a small incision in the patient’s back and then forms a narrow tunnel to the stone inside the kidney. He then removes the stone using a special surgical instrument.

The other type of kidney stone surgery is ureteroscopy. This method is used for removing stones that are have moved down to the middle or lower section of the ureter.

The procedure is carried out with a slender telescopic instrument called a ureteroscope. The doctor passes this through the urethra and bladder and into the ureter and kidney. Using the tiny camera in the device, he can examine the stone and either remove it with a small cage or destroy it in situ.

Natural Treatment for Kidney Stones

As the kidneys are the organs that filter and removes wastes from the body, it's natural that kidney stones can be removed by drinking various mixtures that work to dissolve them and flush them out of the system. Here are some examples.

A numbe of teas and tisanes are available made from such herbs as plantain lead, sarsaparilla and meadowsweet which work to remove excess uric acid from the body. Other herbs such as yarrow leaf, hydrangea root and cramp bark are said to be effective in dissolving small kidney stones.

Still other herbs work as diuretics which promote urination. Frequent urination prevents the build up of the substances that form into kidney stones.

Other than teas, the same effect can be gained from drinking large quantities of water (at least eight glasses a day).

These treatments are safe and effective but it can take a long time to effect a cure. They are more suited for asymptomatic kidney stones.