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What helps dissolve?
One of the best and easiest ways to prevent kidney stones is to drink plenty of water.
One of the best and easiest ways to prevent kidney stones is to drink plenty of water. Generally, health experts recommend drinking about 12 glasses per day to help flush stones out of the urinary system. Sipping water throughout the day will help people stay hydrated and reduce their risk of kidney stone formation. Few home remedies may help dissolve kidney stones fast. However, these remedies may not work for everyone.
Lemon juice, olive oil and water:
- Few patients claim success in mixing a concoction of lemon juice and olive oil to help dissolve kidney stones as a home remedy.
- Proponents of this method claim that at the first notice of symptoms, mix one-fourth cup of olive oil with an equal amount of lemon juice.
- Drink this combination straight and then drink a glass of water. Repeat the process again late in the afternoon.
- Be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day, as well as extra lemon juice if possible.
- Lemon juice (vitamin C and acid) could help break down kidney stones, and olive oil helps with the flushing process.
Apple cider vinegar and water:
- Some patients use apple cider vinegar to treat kidney stones.
- The theory behind it is that apple cider vinegar is made of citric acid, which dissolves kidney stones and helps the body pass the stones more easily.
- In addition, apple cider vinegar helps prevent the formation of kidney stones by alkalizing the blood and urine and promoting the production of hydrochloric acid in the body.
- Proponents of this home remedy recommend mixing two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with six to eight ounces of water and drinking the mixture frequently throughout the day, especially before mealtime.
Basil juice and water:
- Acetic acid in basil can help dissolve kidney stones and reduce pain. Consuming one teaspoon of basil extract or pure juice per day may help prevent and treat kidney stones.
Asparagus:
Steamed asparagus may help flush out kidney stones through a mild diuretic effect. Some patients may also benefit from celery, cucumber and watermelon consumption.
Others:
- Vazhaithandu (banana stem) juice is a diuretic.
- It helps increase urine production, thereby pushing the stone out.
- In fact, research shows that Vazhaithandu juice can help dissolve urinary and kidney stones. However, there is not enough proof of its efficacy if patients have large stones in their kidneys.
Medications:
- Most kidney stones cannot be dissolved.
- Some 5 percent of kidney stones are made up of uric acid. These may be dissolved by making the urine alkaline.
- Patients need to take a medicine such as Ural that will make their urine less acidic because this aids the stone to dissolve.
- Alkalizers can neutralize the acid in the urine, so uric acid crystals become soluble and start to dissolve.
- Struvite stones will require antibiotics and drugs that reduce ammonia in the urine.
- No medicine that can dissolve large stones in humans.
- According to a new study, a class of drugs approved to treat leukemia and epilepsy may also be effective against kidney stones. The drugs are histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors. Researchers found that these drugs (Vorinostat and trichostatin A) may lower the levels of calcium and magnesium in the urine by dissolving the kidney stone. However, more research is needed to confirm the efficacy.
When the stone is large and causes enough symptoms, patients should visit a urologist for the best possible treatments. Surgery such as extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is one of the best treatments to remove stones from the kidneys.