The 11 Best Natural Remedies for Kidney Stones You Will Flush You Out

Kidney stones are a common occurrence.  Before we opt for surgical intervention let’s peruse the natural remedies for kidney stones.

Overview

The job of the urinary system is to remove toxic nitrogen-based waste out of the body in the form of uric acid.  The nephron cells of the kidney produce urine, by extracting said waste from the plasma, or liquid component of the blood.  The ureters send the urine to the urinary bladder where it is stored until urination.  To void, or pass the urine, the urine passes through the urethra to the outside world.

{Read our article on Natural Remedies for Constipation.}

Kidney stones (or uroliths) may be caused by a combination of factors.  They are comprised of calcium (sometimes caused calculi), phosphorus, and magnesium.  They are much more prevalent in young men.  They occur more commonly in the summer due to dehydration, but that is not the sole determinant in developing these stones.  A combination of factors may contribute to it, such as family history, an electrolyte imbalance, improper nutrition, and medications.

When a stone forms in the kidneys, the body’s first recourse is to increase urine production and dilate the ureter and urethra to flush out the stone.  Conventional treatments of stones, if not passed naturally, are contingent on the size of the stone.  Cystoscopic retrieval (pulling out the stones with a laparoscope through the urethra) and lithotripsy (using sound waves to pulverize the stone to then pass naturally) are used for medium-size stones, while nephrotomy (surgical opening of the kidney to excise the stone) is utilized for the very large ones.

We at Naturopathic Earth endorse exhausting all naturopathic approaches prior to pharmaceutical or surgical interventions.  Natural remedies for kidney stones are easier and less exacting on the body and mind than treatment.  And much cheaper!  So let’s focus on natural remedies for kidney stones.

Nutrition & Traditional Remedies:

The following practices will aid in both prevention and treatment.

1. Drink warm lemon water in the morning as this is a millennia-old practice to cleanse the liver and kidney.
2. Reduce your sodium intake
3. In general keep the body well hydrated, especially in the summer.
4. Avoid excessive consumption of sodas since studies link the phosphoric acid in them to kidney stones.  (They also tend to dehydrate the body).
5. Increase your amount of foods laden with magnesium (nuts, whole-grains, leafy greens) or supplement with a magnesium pill.
6. Increase your amount of potassium-laden foods (leafy greens, avocados, bananas).
7. Increase your amount of cinnamon in the diet.

Aromatherapy (Essential Oils):

Applying Geranium, Juniper, Lemon, and Fennel to the lower pelvis or in a bath.

Herbalism:

Try parsley, celery seed, yarrow, or gravel root infused teas or concoctions.

Homeopathy:

Tabacum and Lycopodium have been known to alleviate flank and ureteric pain.  (Consult a homeopath prior to usage.)

{Read our natural remedies for UTIs, diarrhea, ear infections, constipation, and hemorrhoids.}

If stones run in your family, then it is highly recommended you implement a prophylactic or preventative strategy.  The good news is that stones are typically not life-threatening (both the naturopathic and allopathic practices will remove them from your body before infections may occur); solely painful.  Consult a Holistic or Integrative Medicine physician to find the underlying cause of urolithiases rather than just treating the stones when they do arise.

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