15 Ways For Kidney Stone Removal Without Surgery

Dr. Swapnil Ghaywat

Medically reviewed by

Dr. Swapnil Ghaywat

Homeopath

10 min read

Key Takeaways

  • Kidney stones or renal calculi are solid deposits of minerals and acid salts that form along the urinary tract
  • there are simple natural remedies you can try to remove kidney stones and reduce the risk of developing kidney stones
  • Now you know how to remove kidney stones and, better, how to prevent them with natural remedies. Go make an effort

Kidney stones are a common health problem and passing kidney stones can be a very painful experience. Some even liken the pain felt to the intensity of childbirth. Moreover, those who have suffered from kidney stones are at risk of getting them again. While all this paints a bleak picture, the good news is that there are home remedies for kidney stones that can be effective as not all kidney stones require immediate medical treatment.

What are Kidney Stones?

Kidney stones or renal calculi are solid deposits of minerals and acid salts that form along the urinary tract. There are many types of kidney stones including calcium oxalate, calcium phosphate, struvite, uric acid, and cystine stones. Of these, around 80% of kidney stones are calcium oxalate. Kidney stones affect over 1 million Indians every year. But, all said and done, there are simple natural remedies you can try to remove kidney stones and reduce the risk of developing kidney stones in the future.

Additional Read: What are kidney stones

15 Remedies For Kidney Stone Removal Without Surgery

Drink plenty of water

Kidney stones can occur if the body doesn't get enough water. The size of these stones might range from a pea to a golf ball.

Water may be your best friend for kidney stone removal without surgery at home. For small stones, your doctor may suggest a combination of water, painkillers, and an alpha blocker, which causes muscles in the ureter to relax. Eight glasses a day is generally good, but 12 glasses will work better to pass a stone.

Beyond cure, water also helps in kidney stone prevention as dehydration is a major cause of stones. While 6-8 glasses of water per day will keep dehydration at bay, try drinking about 2.8 liters of water a day to avoid the repeat occurrence of stones.

Olive Oil and Lemon Juice

Although the mixture of lemon juice and olive oil may sound strange, it is one of the most efficient home remedies for kidney stones. Drinking this juice regularly until the stones are gone will help people who want to remove kidney stones from their kidneys naturally. 

Olive oil acts as a lubricant to help kidney stones flow through the system painlessly and without causing any discomfort, whereas lemon juice aids in shattering kidney stones.

Combine the ingredients listed below, then drink up:

  • Two ounces of lemon juice
  • Two ounces of olive oil

Afterwards, drink a lot of water. It is said that in about a week, the stones should normally pass and apply this natural cure treatment two to three times daily.

Baking Soda

Another great at-home treatment for kidney stones without surgery is baking soda or sodium bicarbonate. It aids in reducing the size of the stones so that they can be comfortably passed with urine. Baking soda also enhances their general health by bringing an individual's body's pH level back into balance.

Mix 10 ounces of lukewarm water and one tablespoon of baking soda to make this natural medicine. This can be consumed three times throughout the day. Baking soda's alkalinity can reduce urine's acidity, which causes kidney stones to form. Kidney stones can more easily flow through the urine once the urine's acidity has been brought under control. 

Apple Cider Vinegar

The citric acid in apple cider vinegar is known as ureteral stone treatment without surgery by dissolving and breaking them down into smaller pieces. It facilitates the urethral removal of kidney stones. Consuming apple cider vinegar aids in kidney cleaning and toxin elimination. Until the kidney stones have been eliminated from the kidneys, two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar can be taken each day with warm water.

Drinking diluted nutrient-packed Apple cider vinegar has many other benefits, including controlling blood sugar, high cholesterol, and blood pressure, improved digestion and cardiovascular function, along with detoxification of the body. But care should be given to patients with acid reflux problems or chronic kidney disorders. It also slowly (with time) chips away at the tooth enamel. 

Punica Granatum (Pomegranate)

Pomegranates are a very healthy fruit that is packed with minerals. Pomegranate juice is one of the best natural beverages for keeping the body hydrated. It aids in kidney stone removal naturally. In addition, it has beneficial antioxidants that support a stronger immune system.

Fresh Coconut Water

In order to get rid of kidney stones, you should consume fresh coconut water. Coconut water can be consumed throughout the day. For kidney stone removal without operation, drink coconut water for a week. The urge to urinate will rise if you consume a lot of coconut water. The potassium in this cool beverage will neutralise the urine's acidity and dissolve any stones.

Corn Silk or Corn Hair

Those protruding long and silky strands around corncobs are known as corn silk. Corn silk is used as a herbal treatment in traditional Chinese, Middle Eastern, and Native American medicine.

Antioxidant-rich corn silk is quite effective at flushing kidney stones from the body. You can cook corn hair in water, strain it, and then eat it. Moreover, it reduces the growth of new stones and acts as a diuretic to enhance urine flow. Corn hair aids in reducing the discomfort associated with kidney stones.

Basil Leaves

Basil is a herb that is frequently utilized in daily life. It naturally acts as a kidney stone treatment without surgery, dissolving stones and serving as a kidney tonic.

Five to six basil leaves, a cup of boiling water, and honey are required to turn it into a healthy drink. In hot water, soak the basil leaves for ten minutes. After straining, taste and add honey as desired. Then, consume the tea while it's still warm. Take two to three glasses of basil tea per day.

Drink Barley Water

The best kidney stone treatment without surgery is barley water. This treatment will raise the bladder's pressure, clearing the kidneys of kidney stones and other harmful substances. In addition, regular barley water consumption will keep the body's pH levels balanced and provide calming benefits.

Add lemon juice, 3 cups of water, and 1/4 cup of barley. Put the barley in the water and let it soak for at least four hours. After soaking, simmer the barley in the same water over low heat until the water is half as much as it was initially. Barley water should be strained and allowed to cool. To taste, stir in a half-teaspoon of lemon juice. Have a few glasses of this during the day.

Use Watermelon Seeds

Watermelon seeds have laxative properties and aid in better digestion. In addition, they are potent detoxifiers that can remove kidney stones along with trash from the body.

Crush the watermelon seeds and add them to boiling water. After adding the water to the pulverised watermelon seeds, soak the mixture for ten to fifteen minutes. Drink this tea all day long, letting the water cool before filtering. Eight glasses must be consumed over two days.

kidney stone removal without surgery

Watch Your Sodium Intake

While the link between high salt intake and kidney stone formation may not always hold true, a diet that is high in salt content can be unhealthy for you as the amount of calcium present in your urine increases. It is advisable to limit your sodium intake to 2,300mg a day, if you’ve suffered from kidney stones in the past due to sodium, bring this down to about 1,500mg.

Studies show that Indians consume about 11g of salt a day. That’s approximately 4.26g of sodium, which is way above the recommended guideline of 2.3g. So, in general, Indians need to reduce their salt intake too.

Lower Animal Protein Intake

Among the primary foods to avoid with kidney stones as an ailment are those which are high in animal protein. What is included here? Be cautious with foods like:

  • Red meat
  • Poultry
  • Seafood
  • Eggs

The question here is of limiting your animal protein intake, not doing away with it completely. A diet that has too much animal protein causes an uptick in uric acid, and uric acid helps in the creation of kidney stones. Similarly, such a diet also brings down citrate levels, and citrate helps prevent the formation of kidney stones. While you cut out some animal protein from your diet, remember that you still need protein for health. So, look for it from plant-based sources that are low in oxalic acid.

Reduce Oxalate Intake

Calcium oxalate crystals are the most common types of kidney stones, and high intake of oxalates can lead to stone formation. Among the foods that cause kidney stones due to oxalic acid are:

  • Spinach
  • Almonds
  • Nuts
  • Lady finger
  • Tea
  • Rhubarb
  • Sweet potato

Should you avoid them altogether? Not so. In fact, foods like spinach and the ones above are also very healthy. So, going on an oxalate-starved diet can cause a slew of other health problems to kick in. Moreover, cutting back on oxalates is not a must for all. Low-oxalate diets often limit oxalic acid to 50mg per day. It is best to check with a doctor to understand how to change your diet to better serve your needs.

Get Enough Calcium

Studies have shown that calcium-rich diets can actually reduce the risk of kidney stones. So, if your daily calcium intake is less than about 500mg a day, you’d want to boost it up to the 1,000mg mark. Your doctor may even recommend more depending on your gender and age. Too little calcium intake, and oxalic acid levels will rise.

However, calcium supplements have been associated with an increased risk of kidney stone formation. The bottom line? Try to get your calcium intake from the foodstuffs you normally eat such as milk and cheese, without disturbing other factors. For instance, lady finger is a source of calcium but is rich in oxalic acid too. It is thus best to create a nutrition plan that is tailored to you with advice from a specialist.

Make Some Lemon Juice

Among the best home remedies for kidney stones is the practice of making yourself natural juices, in particular, lemon juice. Lemons contain an organic acid called citric acid, which helps prevent calcium stones from forming and getting larger. Sounds great? Well, citrate may even help you break down small stones and thus, pass them more easily.

Lemon Juice

The catch here is that it is best for you to make yourself a glass of lemon juice rather than purchase a juice product. Commonly-sold products may include only a small dose of beneficial lemon extract and a high amount of sweeteners that may actually cause kidney stones. Around ½ cup of lemon juice concentrate with water every day can be a good goal to go with. Fruits like oranges and grapefruits are also among the foods that cause kidney stones to cease occurring. Since they provide you with citric acid, you can simply consume them to reduce the likelihood of getting kidney stones in the future.

Now that you know how to remove kidney stones and, better, how to prevent them with natural remedies, make an effort to keep your kidneys healthy. However, keep in mind that trying natural remedies does not eliminate the need of consulting a doctor. Getting medical advice is key, especially if you are already on medication for another disease. In addition, when trying diet-related home remedies for kidney stones, knowing the types of kidney stones you are prone to can help you change your diet accordingly.

In fact, if you have symptoms such as severe pain in the abdomen, pain while urinating, nausea, vomiting, sweating or blood in the urine, your doctor may ask you to undergo a test for kidney stones. In such cases, natural remedies may not suffice, and you may need shock wave therapy or surgery.

Conclusion

Based on your health history, your doctor may even recommend home remedies for kidney stones such as:

  • Consuming basil juice and apple cider vinegar
  • Limiting Vitamin C supplements
  • Reducing your weight
  • Changing your sleeping posture

So, arm yourself with the best of medical advice and take concrete steps in improving the health of your kidneys!

In case of any doubts, you can find, book & consult a medical professional from the comfort of your home, on Bajaj Finserv Health. Locate a urologist near you in minutes, view doctors’ years of experience, consulting hours, fees and more before booking an e-consult or in-person appointment. Apart from facilitating appointment booking, Bajaj Finserv Health also offers health plans for your family, medicine reminders, healthcare information and discounts from select hospitals and clinics.

Published on 2 Nov 2020Last updated on 7 Apr 2023
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Please note that this article is solely meant for informational purposes and Bajaj Finserv Health Limited (“BFHL”) does not shoulder any responsibility of the views/advice/information expressed/given by the writer/reviewer/originator. This article should not be considered as a substitute for any medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult with your trusted physician/qualified healthcare professional to evaluate your medical condition. The above article has been reviewed by a qualified doctor and BFHL is not responsible for any damages for any information or services provided by any third party.

Dr. Swapnil Ghaywat

Medically reviewed by

Dr. Swapnil Ghaywat

, BHMS 1 , MD - Homeopathy 3

Dr. Swapnil S. Ghaywat is a Homoeopath in Khamla, Nagpur and has an experience of 10 years in this field. Dr. Swapnil S. Ghaywat practices at Holistic Homeopathy in Khamla, Nagpur. He completed BHMS from AHMC in 2010 and MD - Homeopathy from Foster Development Homeopathic Medical College in 2016. He is a member of Orange City Homeopathic Association. Some of the services provided by the doctor are: Vaccination/ Immunization, Hypertension Treatment, Thyroid Disorder Treatment and Arthritis Management etc.

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