Passing Kidney Stones

Unfortunately, some people simply cannot avoid being affected by kidney stones, whether it be thanks to heredity or circumstances beyond their control. However, the sooner kidney stones are detected, the fewer the complications, and the stones can then be passed as quickly and painlessly as possible.

Here are six useful tips for passing kidney stones to help avoid the need for undergoing even more painful treatment procedures:

1. First, paying close attention to your water intake will greatly help to keep kidney stones at bay, especially if you are prone to them. Drinking at least eight to ten glasses of water each and every single day will help to prevent oxalate, which is insoluble salt, from turning into those painful crystals.

Obviously, the more you drink the more you'll have to urinate and the body will be rid of more waste material, like the oxalates.

2. If you've had your fill of water, you may want to consider trying equally healthy alternatives like natural fruit and vegetable juices including orange, grape, and carrot. All of these are rich in a salt derivative of citric acid known as citrate that dissolves the cystine type of kidney stones, which are mostly comprised of amino acids that haven't been absorbed by the body.

Another drink that can help to dissolve the stones is lemonade as lemons are fibrous and also acidic.

3. Avoiding foods that you know will exacerbate the problem is one of the smartest, and easiest, things you can do to help making passing a kidney stone as painless as possible. Your doctor may have given you a list of things to avoid, and eating fibrous foods like fruits and vegetables which are both able to absorb oxalates, help the body excrete them in solid waste via the intestines rather than through the bladder.

4. Many people swear by the home remedy of taking a tablespoon of olive oil mixed with a tablespoon of lemon juice followed a glass of plain water to ease the pain of passing kidney stones as the oil helps the stones pass through the urethra easier.

5. Taking vitamin B-complex is often recommended for decreasing instances of kidney stones as a vitamin B deficiency has been known to increase the risk of their development. Herbal supplements, including dandelion, buchu, and couch grass, are also taken to help with passing kidney stones naturally.

6. Finally, it's important to be realistic and realize that passing a kidney stone is usually quite painful, however, there are viable ways of dealing with this main aspect of the problem. While at first it may not seem like they would help, keeping your mind busy and focused on something like learning a new hobby and keeping your body busy by exercising and staying healthy will definitely help you to deal with the impending pain.

You can always ask your doctor to recommend some type of medication or anti-inflammatory drug if you absolutely aren't able to deal with the pain.

Also make sure to keep the lines of communication open with your doctor in regards to how well you're progressing and what type of treatment regimen you've been following. He or she will want to analyze the actual composition of any stones you have passed, so use a strainer designed for this very purpose. And, in some cases, if the water treatment is not effective, then there may be an infection or blockage somewhere in the kidneys that will require immediate medical attention.