A kidney stone is a hard, crystalline mineral material formed within the kidney or the urinary tract. The urinary tract includes the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Kidney stone is also known as renal calculus or nephrolith in medical terms. Kidney stones are known to be one of the most painful medical condition.
Kidney stones are normally filtered through the kidney and exit our body through urine. Sometimes, due to dehydration, the salts don’t dissolve and crystallization takes place. These crystals grow large enough to obstruct the renal ducts or get stuck in the ureter, causing sharp and severe pain in the urinary tract.
There are many causes for the formation of kidney stones. Dehydration is the most common factor. Drinking at least 8 to 10 glasses of water daily keeps yourself hydrated and reduces the risk of kidney stones formation. Diet and hereditary factors are also related to stone formation. The pain caused due to stones can be very severe and typically comes in waves lasting from 20 minutes to 60 minutes.
By following some simple natural remedies, you can help soothe the discomfort of kidney stones and speed up the body’s natural healing process.
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Basil Leaves
Basil leaves (Tulsi) is generally good for the overall health of the kidneys. Mix one teaspoon of juice from basil leaves with 1 teaspoon of honey and drink it daily in the morning. Chewing two to three basil leaves also helps in easing the kidney stone pain.
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Watermelon
Water and potassium content of watermelon is an essential ingredient for a healthy kidney. Watermelon helps in regulating and maintaining the level of acid present in the urine. Eating watermelon or drinking its juice daily will help in natural dissolution of kidney stones.
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Tomato juice
Drink a glass tomato juice with a pinch of salt and pepper every morning. This helps in dissolve the mineral salts in the kidney and prevents the salts from forming further stones.
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Kidney beans
Kidney beans (Rajma) is an effective home remedy for kidney related problems. Remove the seeds from the pods and then boil the pods in purified hot water for an hour. Strain the liquid and leave it till it cools. Drink the liquid several times throughout the day to ease kidney stone pain.
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Lemon juice
Lemon juice is rich in citric acid that helps break down the calcium-based kidney stones. Drinking two to three glasses of lemon juice daily will increase the volume of urination and natural removal of stones through urine.
The remedies listed above are not intended to completely replace the medical care. They are meant to ease the pain. If you are experiencing severe pain, consult a Nephrologist immediately.
References:
https://www.askapollo.com/diseases/kidney-stones https://www.apollohospitals.com/patient-care/health-and-lifestyle/understanding-investigations/kidney-function-tests/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4S8LCrGzBQ
https://www.apollohospitals.com/departments/transplantation/organ-specific-transplant-care/kidney/kidney-transplantation-facts/
