11 Natural Remedies for Kidney Stones

You may suddenly begin to experience severe shooting pain in your lower back, belly or groin; painful urination; or blood in your urine and think you have some sort of life threatening disease. Upon visiting your doctor it could be determined that you are experiencing a lodged kidney stone. This is the crystallization of uric acid and other waste materials in the kidney that have, for whatever reason, been unable to exit your system.

As with most conventional approaches, pharmaceutical medicines may be prescribed and if they do not help your body pass the stone then surgery would be the next step.

Sometimes these 11 natural remedies for kidney stones could help you rid your system of these pesky crystallizations and possibly prevent more from forming. Trying these before conventional medicine could be an easy way to avoid invasive chemicals or procedures and instead allow for your body to embrace natural healing.

Chanca Piedra

The herb Chanca Piedra (Phyllanthus amarus) is fairly unknown to mainstream medicine, however more studies are proving its effectiveness in cleansing the kidneys.

According to a report by Livestrong,

“After giving chanca piedra to more than 100 people with kidney stones, German physician, Wolfram Wiemann found that 94 percent of them eliminated their stones within two weeks. Other than cramping during the passage of the stones, chanca piedra caused no side effects, according to the research.”

Uva Ursi

Sometimes referred to as bearberry, uva ursi has been a centuries old treatment for urinary tract issues as well as kidney cleansing.

Whole Health Md reports that,

“Preliminary animal studies indicate some efficacy of Uva ursi in dissolving the crystallized salts of kidney stones in rats”

Hydrangea Root 

This root of the flowering hydrangea plant found in many conventional gardens may hold the key to reducing kidney stones.

Japanese researchers reported in a study of hydrangea root as a kidney detox, published in Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry (2003) that,

“…extracts have greater antioxidant power in liver tissue than milk thistle and turmeric combined”… confirming the work of “nineteenth-century American physicians who used hydrangea primarily as a treatment for “kidney gravel,” small stones in the kidneys that could be passed with a minimum of pain after treatment with the herb.” (Baseline of Health)

Crataeva Nurvala Buchu 

Sometimes simply called buchu, crataeva nurvala is an Ayurvedic remedy held in high esteem as a natural medication for kidney stones and urinary tract disorders.

The Journal of Herbs, Spices & Medicinal Plants (Volume 14, Issue 1-2, 2008) reports that,

“The plant is known to relieve, prevent, and promote the discharge of kidney stones. Lupeol, a pentacyclic triterpene isolated from the root bark, has been shown to significantly minimize the deposition of stone-forming constituents in kidneys.”

Fenugreek

The dried leaves of the fenugreek plant can be used as a tea, capsule or supplement for the benefit of helping pass as well as reduce kidney stone formations.

Livestrong cites a study published in Phytotherapy Research (2007) that stated,

“Fenugreek was given to laboratory animals to prevent the formation of calcium oxalate kidney stones. Results showed that animals who received fenugreek supplementation had significantly less calcification in their kidneys and significantly less total calcium in the kidney tissue as compared with untreated animals. The authors concluded that fenugreek may be useful in the treatment of kidney stones.”

6 More From Doctor Weil

Renowned medical doctor and champion of alternative medicine, Dr. Weil recommends these 6 natural remedies for kidney stone prevention:

• Avoid caffeine, which seems to increase urinary calcium
• Decrease consumption of animal protein, especially red meat, which increases stone risk
• Limit your salt intake (salt increases urinary calcium excretion)
• Consume potassium and bran fiber in foods as both can reduce urinary levels of calcium
• Take calcium citrate as it binds in the intestines is eliminated as calcium oxylate
• Drink lemon juice in sparkling water, as lemon juice is a natural source of citrate

 

Try these 11 natural remedies for kidney stones to help pass them through your system as well as prevent them from forming. Sometimes all it takes is a botanical, dietary and other simple lifestyle nudge to get back to optimal kidney functioning health.