A kidney stone is a hard, crystalline mineral material formed within the kidney or urinary tract. Kidney stones are a common cause of blood in the urine (hematuria) and often severe pain in the abdomen, flank, or groin. Kidney stones are sometimes called renal calculi.

While some kidney stones may not produce symptoms (known as "silent" stones), people who have kidney stones often report the sudden onset of excruciating, cramping pain in their low back and/or side, groin, or abdomen. Changes in body position do not relieve this pain. The abdominal, groin, and/or back pain typically waxes and wanes in severity, characteristic of colicky pain (the pain is sometimes referred to as renal colic). It may be so severe that it is often accompanied by nausea and vomiting. The pain has been described by many as the worst pain of their lives, even worse than the pain of childbirth or broken bones. Kidney stones also characteristically cause blood in the urine. If infection is present in the urinary tract along with the stones, there may be fever and chills. Sometimes, symptoms such as difficulty urinating, urinary urgency, penile pain, or testicular pain may occur due to kidney stones.

Causes

Dietary factors that increase the risk of stone formation include low fluid intake, and high dietary intake of animal protein, sodium, refined sugars, fructose and high fructose corn syrup,oxalate, grapefruit juice, apple juice, and cola drinks.

X-ray with bilateral kidney stones

Calcium

Calcium is one component of the most common type of human kidney stones, calcium oxalate. Some studies suggest people who take supplemental calcium have a higher risk of developing kidney stones, and these findings have been used as the basis for setting the recommended daily intake for calcium in adults. In the Women's Health Initiative, postmenopausal women who consumed 1000 mg of supplemental calcium and 400 international units of vitamin D per day for seven years had a 17% higher risk of developing kidney stones than subjects taking a placebo. The Nurses' Health Study also showed an association between supplemental calcium intake and kidney stone formation.

Unlike supplemental calcium, high intakes of dietary calcium do not appear to cause kidney stones and may actually protect against their development. This is perhaps related to the role of calcium in binding ingested oxalate in the gastrointestinal tract. As the amount of calcium intake decreases, the amount of oxalate available for absorption into the bloodstream increases; this oxalate is then excreted in greater amounts into the urine by the kidneys. In the urine, oxalate is a very strong promoter of calcium oxalate precipitation, about 15 times stronger than calcium. In fact, current evidence suggests the consumption of diets low in calcium is associated with a higher overall risk for the development of kidney stones. For most individuals, however, other risk factors for kidney stones, such as high intakes of dietary oxalates and low fluid intake, probably play a greater role than calcium intake.

Other electrolytes

Aside from calcium, other electrolytes appear to influence the formation of kidney stones. For example, by increasing urinary calcium excretion, high dietary sodium may increase the risk of stone formation.[6Fluoridation of drinking water may increase the risk of kidney stone formation by a similar mechanism, though further epidemiologic studies are warranted to determine whether fluoride in drinking water is associated with an increased incidence of kidney stones.On the other hand, high dietary intake of potassium appears to reduce the risk of stone formation because potassium promotes the urinary excretion of citrate, an inhibitor of urinary crystal formation. High dietary intake of magnesium also appears to reduce the risk of stone formation somewhat, because like citrate, magnesium is also an inhibitor of urinary crystal formation.[6]

Animal protein

Diets in Western nations typically contain more animal protein than the body needs.[citation needed] Urinary excretion of excess sulfurous amino acids (e.g., cysteine and methionine), uric acid and other acidic metabolites from animal protein acidifies the urine, which promotes the formation of kidney stones.[citation needed] The body often balances this acidic urinary pH by leaching calcium from the bones, which further promotes the formation of kidney stones. Low urinary citrate excretion is also commonly found in those with a high dietary intake of animal protein, whereas vegetarians tend to have higher levels of citrate excretion.

Vitamins

Despite a widely held belief in the medical community that ingestion of vitamin C supplements is associated with an increased incidence of kidney stones, the evidence for a causal relationship between vitamin C supplements and kidney stones is inconclusive. While excess dietary intake of vitamin C might increase the risk of calcium oxalate stone formation, in practice this is rarely encountered. The link between vitamin D intake and kidney stones is also tenuous. Excessive vitamin D supplementation may increase the risk of stone formation by increasing the intestinal absorption of calcium, but there is no evidence that correction of vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of stone formation.

Other

There are no conclusive data demonstrating a cause-and-effect relationship between alcohol consumption and kidney stones. However, some have theorized that certain behaviors associated with frequent and binge drinking can lead to systemic dehydration, which can in turn lead to the development of kidney stones. The American Urological Association has projected that increasing global temperatures will lead to an increased incidence of kidney stones in the United States by expanding the "kidney stone belt" of the southern United States.

Homeopathic Treatment :-

 Aconite-Useful in the acute stage. Urine is scanty, and hot to feel. Urine is at times bloody. Patient perspires profusely. Complaints are aggravated by lying on painful side.

 Arnica-Dark brick colored sediment in urine. Painful urination.

 Belladonna-useful remedy when urine is scanty, dark and cloudy, with lots of phosphate stones or when the region over bladder is sensitive. Also used in the treatment of blood in urine.

 Berberis vulgaris-used in the treatment of patients who complain of sensation of some urine remaining after urination, or in those whose urine contains mucus with sediments. Also used in the treatment of bubbling sensation in kidneys, pain in loins and thighs during urination, marked soreness in lumbar region. With pain radiating to the groin

 Calcarea carbonicum-Used when patient complains of dark brown colored urine. Urine is often bloody or with white sediments.

Cantharis-This is used when symptoms come on with marked intensity and rapidity. Burning is a marked feature in this remedy. Whole of the urinary system seems to be in an inflamed state. Desire to defecate while urinating is also present.

Colocynthus-Intense burning along urethra when patient passes stools. Hard red crystals in urine, that sticks to vessel. Pain on urinating radiates all over abdomen. Pain is relieved by bending forward.

Nitric acid-Used for renal colic where pain is likened to that of splinters. Urine is scanty, dark and offensive. Typically, urine is strong smelling, like horse urine. At times urine is albuminous.

 Lycopodium-Primarily useful in healing right sided complaints. Patient is emaciated from above downwards. The complaints seem to peculiarly aggravate between 4-8 P.M. There are many symptoms pointing to pathology in the kidney. Red sand appears copiously in urine in acute conditions. It is indicated for retention of urine.

 Sarsaparilla-Very good remedy that helps during renal colic. Urine is scanty, sandy, often blood tinged. Urine dribbles on sitting. Renal colic in children can be treated with this remedy. Child screams in pain before urination, and there is sand in the child’s diaper. Pain radiates from right kidney into the flanks.