How to Pass a Kidney Stone - Steps to Take While Passing a Kidney Stone at Home
What are Kidney Stones?
Kidney stones are small solid pieces of material that form in the kidneys, the bean-shaped organs that are located just below the rib cage, with one on each side of the spine. The kidneys are responsible for removing the excess water and waste products from the bloodstream and passing it out of the body through the urine. Stones can form when the urine becomes concentrated causing the mineral and acid salts to form crystals. When the stones are small, physicians usually advise patients to pass them at home. Here’s all the information that you need to know about how to pass a kidney stone at home.
Drinking Liquids
It is important that your urine is clear and for this you need to drink at least 2 to 3 quarts of water a day. This will flush out the urinary system and help in passing the kidney stone. Not only this, people who have had stones in the past or have an existing stone are prone to developing more kidney stones. Drinking enough water will ensure that no new formations occur.
You can also include certain other drinks in your daily schedule. Lemon and orange juice can not only help add a little flavor to the water, but they will also prevent the formation of new kidney stones. Although studies have yet to prove this claim, theoretically, the citric acid in these fruits is supposed to reduce the calcium levels in the urine. This means that these fruits can prevent the formation of calcium kidney stones.
Black or green tea is another way of adding liquids to your daily diet. It has been found that tea lowers the risk of kidney stones, so if you like drinking tea, you may be able to reduce the chances of preventing kidney stones along with flushing out an existing one. However, tea contains high oxalate levels. If your lab tests have revealed that your oxalate levels are high, there is a possibility that you have an oxalate stone. Your physician may advise you to avoid tea in this case.
Using Pain Medications
Passing a kidney stone at home is painful. A physician will prescribe pain medication to help relieve the pain and discomfort that occurs as the stone travels down the urinary tract. These medications may include ibuprofen (Advil and Motrin), acetaminophen (Tylenol) or naproxen sodium (Aleve). The physician may also prescribe certain medications to help break the stone.
How to Collect the Kidney Stone
The only way to find out what kind of stone you have and what foods you should avoid in the future is to collect it when it leaves your body. A strainer can be used for this purpose and when you have the urge to urinate, you can do so through the strainer. If any part of the stone has traveled through the urine, it will get collected in the strainer. You can also collect them by urinating in a cup or container and then passing the contents through the strainer.
Once you have collected the stone, allow it to dry. Store it in a plastic or glass container and take it to your physician for a lab analysis. You may also be advised to collect a sample of your urine for the next 24 hours after passing the kidney stone at home.
Home Remedies can help
So, the best answer to the question about how to pass a kidney stone at home is to drink enough liquids. This will also prevent the formation of new stones. Some people have also benefited from trying home remedies such as apple cider vinegar and a combination of lemon juice and olive oil. However, before you try any of these home remedies for passing kidney stones, make sure to consult your physician.
References
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: Kidney Stones in Adults
MayoClinic.com: Kidney stones
https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/kidney-stones/DS00282
WebMD: Kidney Stones - Home Treatment
https://www.webmd.com/kidney-stones/kidney-stones-home-treatment
EarthClinic: Dissolve Kidney Stones
https://www.earthclinic.com/CURES/kidney_stones.html
