Renal Calculi

Renal calculi also known by the names of kidney stones are generally hard depositions of minerals, salts that form inside kidneys.
Synonyms- Nephrolithiasis, urolithiasis, kidney stones.
These kidney stones can occur in any part of the urinary tract that includes kidneys to the bladder. The major suffering a patient of kidney stones or renal calculi complaints of is pain. The pain is intolerable hence it renders the patient restless. Faulty diet, excessive weight (obesity), certain disease conditions may precipitate renal calculi. We will be looking further into the causes and the homeopathic aspect of the treatment of these kidney stones.

Who are at risk for renal calculi or Kidney Stones?

Kidneys are the major organ of the excretory system of our body. They function to remove the waste and eliminate the toxins from our body. If there are too many minerals or salts in your body, probably the kidneys may not be able to filter them and they will accumulate to form small masses known as kidney stones.
Anyone can develop renal calculi, its occurrence is found in almost all age groups from young people to the older population. Still, certain factors can predispose you towards the development of kidney stone

There are four main types of renal calculi:

Calcium stones, mostly develop in people who have faulty calcium absorption mechanisms or excessive calcium in their body which is not used by muscles and bones. This may be due to uncontrolled supplementation, it is important to supply according to the demand.

Struvite stones are made up of magnesium, ammonium phosphate. The underlying cause behind their development is alkaline urine. Urine is acidic but due to bacterial infections such as UTI it may transform into alkaline and this change leads to the precipitation of struvite stones.

Uric acid stones are the ones that develop easily and can be avoided easily at the same time. These develop due to poor water intake or hydration. Uric acid is excreted through urine and is a quite toxic substance, to excrete it via kidneys our body needs to dilute it with water. Hence, if there are insufficient water reserves in the body it might not be excreted and precipitate to form calculi.
Cysteine stones are rare and develop due to the accumulation of cysteine, an amino acid in the urine. This usually occurs in cystinuria cases which is an inherited disease.

Other factors contributing towards the development of Renal calculi are family history, past history of kidney stones, Age above 40 years are more prone, lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, prolonged intake of diet rich protein, calcium, sodium, certain medications, etc.

When to know its a warning alarm:

The major hurdle while treating renal calculi is that they do not always cause symptoms until too late. You may pass minute calculi in your urine without being aware of its passage, it is painless till then. Your body sends the warning alarms only when there is a grave pathology either developed or in a process such as a hydronephrosis.

Other warning sign & symptoms are:

• Extreme unbearable pain in the groin either on one side or both, this pain will make you restless and you can do anything to get rid of it. This pain makes people scream in pain pressurising their abdomen and applying pressure as much as they can to get some relief.
• Pain is accompanied by vomiting, nausea, and fever sometimes in cases of infection.
• If the kidney stone gets stuck in your ureters ( thin tube for urine passage from kidneys to the bladder), it may cause pain while urinating, stoppage of urine or dribbling, blood in urea, foul smell, etc

The main complications of renal calculi are their recurrence & hydronephrosis. We need to understand the major issue is not just the stone but the cause behind its development. Unless we remove the cause we can’t achieve our target of cure. We can get rid of few kidney stones through invasive techniques, but what if the tendency to form stones by the body lingers behind and we develop more calculi. Renal calculi demand a treatment that helps in their removal harmonically from the kidneys without invasive technique and also provides a firm background for it to not recur again and again. Homoeopathy helps in the treatment of renal stones to a great extent. With proper changes in the lifestyle and holistic approach of homoeopathy, we can get rid of Renal calculi once for all.

What role homoeopathy has to play in the treatment of Renal calculi:

Homoeopathy the science of similar deals with renal stones through both therapeutic as well as constitutional approaches. The symptoms are the key towards the remedy selection and other factors that help in deciding the dose and repetition are the age of the patient, physical constitution, mental state, susceptibility, the intensity of symptoms, etc. Hence, a homoeopath while case-taking may interrogate you for every aspect and not leave any stone unturned from your chief complaints to physical generals and mental history, every peculiar detail is important and will be taken care of.

Several homeopathic remedies have immense action on our excretory system particularly kidneys but which one will help you to get rid of calculi and not allow it recurrence will highly depend on your life situation and the cause behind its development.

To mention few therapeutic remedies that have proven their worth in cases of renal calculi are as follows:

• Berberris vulgaris- suggested for renal calculi causing immense pain on both sides but worse on the left side. The pain usually aggravates with the slightest motion.
• Tabacum- indicated in cases with violent spasmodic pain along the ureter, left side: and deathly nausea.
• Sarsaparilla- indicated in excruciating pain from right kidney downwards, There is unbearable pain at the conclusion of urination.
• Lycopodium- right-sided colic with flatulence which is no relieved by belching. Red sand in urine due to erosion by stone in the ureter.

Other remedies that have good action are Hydrangea, Ocimum can, Medorrhinum, Chenopodium, etc.

Homoeopathic medicine is well accepted as an alternative treatment for renal calculi patients due to its high efficacy and non-invasive treatment plan. Usually, it takes 12 weeks to 25 or more weeks to get a positive outcome depending on stone size, shape & location. With the right remedy and precautions, it may disintegrate earlier. The calculi pass through the urine either after disintegration or the size reduces and the texture modifies so they can gently pass the ureter without much pain.

Dietary management:

It is advisable for kidney stone patients to avoid calculi-forming foods such as spinach, beetroot, nuts, and items rich in oxalates. They should consume a low protein diet rich in Vit. C and never compromise on fluids. Remember, more hydration specifically with water, lesser the sufferings.

Renal calculi are painful and can make you go through a lot of physical and mental stress. So, alternative non-invasive treatment with homoeopathy can save you from the unnecessary toll you pay to regain health and wellness. Know your warning signs and the right remedy with prompt doses and management can get you rid of not only the stones but also their recurrence and lessen complications. Alternative treatment offers a lot towards health and its maintenance.