Having given birth to 10 children, I can say with confidence that having a kidney stone is the closest a man can come to childbirth! Passing kidney stones naturally is possible and it can be painless.
Passing my first kidney stone while we lived in Switzerland was quite a surprise. After all, I had never had any problems with them before.
My father was very much into natural solutions that work. The recipe found here (like the one used to pass gallstones) is one that he had typed on a piece of paper with no reference as to where it came from. But, both work!
It was interesting to me that there is a familial tendency to kidney stones. My father had them and so have I. (NCBI)
Doing more research, I learned that they could be caused by diet! I’ll get into that more in a bit. First, let’s talk about what kidney stones are…
Kidney stones are hard deposits made of minerals and salts that form in your kidneys. You may not even know that you have one until it begins to move around which causes the pain many experience with kidney stones. They can be found in any part of the urinary tract. (Mayo Clinic)
The urinary tract is composed of the kidneys, ureters and bladder. The kidneys (your body’s filter system) make urine from water and your body’s waste. The urine then travels down the tubes called ureters into the bladder, where it is stored. Urine leaves your body through the urethra.
As kidney stones move through the urinary tract, pain is experienced and may change from being in the low back to another location. It may also become more intense and then ease off or visa versa.
Signs and Symptoms of Kidney Stones
- Severe pain in the side and back, below the ribs, lower abdomen and groin
- Pain that comes and goes and varies in intensity
- Nausea
- Painful urination
- Blood tinged urine – either pink, red or brown
- Cloudy urine
- Frequent urination similar to that of a bladder infection
- Fever and chills if an infection is present
- See more at Urology Health, Medical News Today,
Cause of Kidney Stones
- Dehydration – not drinking enough water. When the urine is concentrated, minerals are allowed to crystallize and stick together forming larger crystals or stones.
- Changes in the normal balance of water, salts, minerals and other substances found in urine
- Family history of kidney stones can predispose you to having them
- Diets high in proteins, salt and sugar
- Too much salt in the diet increases the amount of calcium the kidneys must filter
- Weight gain, large waist size and high BMI (body mass index)
- Surgery and digestive disorders can cause changes affecting your absorption of calcium and water which increases the levels of stone-forming substances in your urine. Examples include gastric bypass surgery, gout, chrohn’s disease and inflammatory bowel disease
- Other medical conditions
- More information at Urology Health, Medical News Today
Types of Kidney Stones
According to UrologyHealth.org:
- Calcium stones- this is the most common type of stone and is in the form of calcium oxalate or, less commonly, calicum phosphate
- Struvite stones- formed in response to an infection – most commonly a chronic urinary tract infection. Some bacteria make urine less acidic and more alkaline (basic). Magnesium ammonium phosphate (struvite) stones form in alkaline urine.
- Uric acid stones – commonly found in people who do not drink enough, have a high protein diet or have gout
- Cystine stones – form in people with an inherited metabolic condition that causes too much cystinuria (an amino acid) to be excreted
Preventing Kidney Stones
- Drink plenty of fluids. The normal recommendation is 8 – 10 glasses per day. A good way to be sure is the color of your urine – it should be clear to light yellow. Dark yellow urine means you are not drinking enough!
- Avoid foods high in oxalate. There is no need to completely avoid them but decrease them. These foods include dark green vegetables (like spinach), chocolate, nuts, cola, black tea.
- Eat a balanced diet – not too much protein or salt
- Drink lemonade made from real lemons. They contain citrate which may help prevent kidney stones.
The recipe found here in Passing Kidney Stones Naturally has worked for me and for others.
According to Healthline:
The best home remedy to encourage the stone to pass is to drink lots of fluids, especially plain water and citrus juices such as orange or grapefruit. The extra fluid causes you urinate more, which helps the stone move and keeps it from growing.
Healthline goes on to say this about lemon juice:
You can add freshly squeezed lemons to your water as often as you like. Lemons contain citrate, which is a chemical that prevents calcium stones from forming. Citrate can also break up small stones, allowing them to pass more easily.
A friend of my sister also used this effectively when other treatments had failed. He was nauseated, vomiting and just plain sick. After visits to his doctor, they did not want to do surgery and opted to wait. He tried this cleanse and it worked!
If recognized in time, they can be passed without any difficulty. Doctors will normally give pain medication and tell you to drink plenty of water – causing you to pass the stone. (MedicineNet.com)
If stones become lodged in the urinary tract, they can obstruct the flow of urine creating a urinary tract infection which will result in fever, chills and acute pain.
I am sharing what has worked for me and do not claim to give medical advice. I know from experience that kidney stones are painful but this cleanse has worked for me!
That being said, you are responsible for your health so, if you are concerned and especially if you have fever or chills, please see a doctor.
Passing Kidney Stones Naturally – The Recipe
Days 1 – 6:
First thing each morning, squeeze the juice of one whole lemon into a pint of warm water and drink it right down. DO NOT ADD SUGAR!
This is important because the drink goes straight to the kidneys and starts its purifying and healing process.
Also On Day 6:
Do not eat anything after 6 pm.
At 6 pm, take 1 Tbsp Epsom salt with a full glass of water. Mix the Epsom salt in the water – it takes a bit of stirring. I take a big breath and down it quickly!
At 8 pm repeat 1 Tbsp Epsom salt with a full glass of water.
At 10 pm – mix and drink quickly, 4 oz. olive oil and 4 oz. lemon juice.
After this, I go to bed. This will enable you to pass the kidney stones and I also, normally have varying sizes of bright green gallstones visible in the toilet. The Epsom salt acts as a laxative to quickly remove them from the intestinal tract.
Notes:
This part of the cleanse (day 6) is identical to the gallbladder cleanse found in How to Get Rid of Gallstones Naturally and is used for passing kidney stone also.
Here is a link to the products that I use for this natural solution.
- Epsom Salt
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice – Fresh lemon juice is needed for the first 6 days to drink in the morning but then bottled may be used for the evening dose which is mixed with olive oil.
- Citrus juicer
This is a good one to keep on hand and will be sure to pass it on to my family members who’ve suffered from them in the past!
Daniela, it really is nice to have when it is needed. Hopefully, you will not need it but it is nice to have a natural solution to try as a first line of defense.
Ouch! Such a painful thing. I knew about the lemon juice plus olive oil trick, but didn’t know about the other tips/steps. This is so helpful for those that need it.
Emily, it really does work and has helped me pass them!
Can I use limes instead of lemons? I live in Mexico and no lemons here only limes….
Vikki, I have never tried it but if the lemons are not available, I would. Let me know how it works, please!
Interesting. I had kidney stones 22 years ago and almost three years ago. Both times they were too big to pass and I ended up having surgery. If I ever have another I will try this!
Linda, I hope you don’t have another one but this really works if you do!
What amazing timing that I’ve seen this post this week! Just passed the information on to a friend. Really helpful and such a detailed article 🙂
Monique, I am so glad and I hope it helps your friend like it has me!
Thank you Dina for sharing this wonderful home remedy.
Segum, I hope it help you like it has helped me!
Thanks so much for info. My nutritionist told me about the one for gallstones but never seen this one for kidney stones. However, please update the instructions. This one references gallstones instead of kidney stones.
Carolyn, thank you for taking the time to let me know and I’m glad you have a nutritionist that you can trust! I hope it helps you like it has me. I do pass gallstones when doing the cleanse for kidney stones so that was the reason that gallstones are mentioned in the directions.
Would the size of the stone matter and consult my doctor or should I just go ahead with the therapy.
Anurag, you will have to decide for yourself – I have never known the size of my stones and have not had a problem.
Is there a recommended diet of things to eat/ avoid during the 6 day period? I understand to do the lemon juice in the mornings and the salt/oil evening of 6th day. Just wondering about in between?
Stacii, not that I know of – I just my normal healthy diet.
Dear Dina-Marie,
I tried your gallstone solution last week so I am going to give a try to get the kidney stones out in few weeks time, I am not 100% sure if I have a kidney stones but I have some of the symptoms you mentioned, so I am thinking to give a go so if I have a small stones it can be cleared to avoid any surgery etc in future incase if the stone grown to big, one question I have though, when I pass urine on 7th day morning do you think I will be able to see the kidney stones floating like the gallstones.
Many thanks
Renga, mine did not but that is not to say yours won’t – please let me know how it goes.
Hi Dina, so how can one know this cleanse really work when there is no visible stone resulted from the flushing?
Keith, I have always seen the stones and I would expect you to see them if you have them and they are expelled.
If i have been diagnosed with like 40 passable stones would this be safe for me to try? Opinion pls i think im on like 14 and i refuse pain meds. So going is rough somtimes. Anything would be greatly apprieciated
James, I cannot give medical advice but can share what has worked for me and this cleanse has worked! I and others have found that once you begin drinking the apple juice, the pain subsides. I hope this helps!
Hello. I am booked into hospital to have 5 “large” kidney stones lasered. I would be scared to try this in case the stones do not properly dissolve and fragments tried to move down the eurethra, possibly blocking it. Also, does it work for all types of stones?
Kay, I have never had problems using this method but you will have to decide if it is right for you or not.
Hello. I am due to go to hospital next week to have 5 large stones lasered. Do you think this would dissolve them, negating the need for surgery?
Thank you.
Kay, I have avoided surgery with this cleanse.
I have acid stones. My urologist retired and moved my records to a new doctor that isn’t as compassionate as mine was. I have been dealing with the symptoms of this stone for over 2 weeks now and the doctor doesn’t have an opening for 2 more weeks. So, I will give this a try. I take urocit K as a preventative which is supposed to increase the acid base but I am now trying to pass stone 37.
I tried this past week and followed it to a tee and the only thing I got was terrible diarrhea
Renee, I am sorry that it did not help. Have you been diagnosed with kidney stones? Is there any difference in your symptoms?
Please I have under go x-ray and they found stone in the blader. What should I do?
Adams, it is up to you as whether or not you do the cleanse.
Just to clarify, on days 1-6, you are only taking lemon juice correct? Everything else comes on the afternoon/night of day 6?
Mitch, that is correct.
One of my friend is suffering from kidney stone pain from last 6 months and getting medical treatment but problem is still there. Today I have found this informative post about kidney stone where I understand everything about the problem. Hope this article will help him to get rid of kidney stone.
Thanks
Amit, I hope it will help – it sure has me!
Hi Dina-Marie!I have followed the recipe exactly and yesterday was Day 6 for me.Just wondering if the liquid we will expel is supposed to be clear or not?Mine seems like diarrhea and color dark green.I don’t see any stones though or maybe I just can’t see them.Please excuse the graphic image.Is there supposed to be pain when we expel the stones?Thank you.
Princess, no problems it is hard to talk about this without the nitty gritty of it! 😉 It sounds like you had a normal experience with it and no, you should not have pain when they are expelled.
Is there something we can drink everyday to prevent future kidney/gall stones?Thank you, Dina-Marie!
Princess Estinar, my urologist recommended a glass of lemonade made with freshly squeezed lemon juice or 2 oz of Real lemon juice concentrate twice a week evenly spaced throughout the week for bladder infections. I have found that taking master tonic has helped tremendously plus it supports your immune system. I hope this helps!
hi dina, i have 2cm kidney stone in urethro-pelvic junction. and urologist in nz suggest a surgery do you think it works on my case this natural method of yours?
Richard, I really cannot give medical advice but for me, I would rather need medical attention because I tried a natural solution than to opt for surgery first. That is me and you will have to decide for yourself what is right for you. Sorry not to be more help!
Nice to read this. My mum is about 93 and has been diagnosed with kidney stones and doctors advised against surgery because of her age. Seondly, she has ulcer so I don’t know what to do about this now since they said lemon can trigger ulcers.
Yakubu, if your mother decides to do this, I hope it will help. I really cannot give medical advice but will be praying that you choose the right thing for her.
Have you heard of anyone trying this when the kidney stone is stuck in the ureter?
Becky, I have not but the lemon juice will help to break up the stones. I just have not had any experience with one in the ureter – maybe another reader?
Hi Dina-Marie,
I am so bless to be here, your blogs and emails content have top values for both physical and spiritual. Thank you so much!
My ultrasound and CT scan showed that I have gallstones, kidney stones and prostate enlargement. I will start with pass gallstones today or tomorrow asa I got apple juice.
About My enlarged prostate BPH that caused narrowing my urethra/urinal tube, bladder cannot be empty out. There are 2 surgery procedure options: Urolift and drill to open up the urethra tube. I wouldn’t select any. Do you or someone know any natural solution?
I asked my General Surgion Specialist to hold on the removing my gallbladder. I was searching for a natural solution for over 3 months.
Thank you so much for your information.
God Bless!
Loi, I am sorry but I do not. I use an Integrative Medicine Doctor – he is a medical doctor but trained to fight causes not just alleviate symptoms. Maybe you could find one in your area?
Hello, I have a large kidney stone in my kidney and another one smaller stuck in my ureter near the bladder. I’m having a go at your recommendation. I’m on day 2 now. I’m trying to understand how Epson salt can help with kidney stones. Also seems like by having 2 Tbsp in 2 hours you have exceeded the daily recommendation in the package. Is that safe. The Epson salt I bought here in the UK days only one teaspoon per day. What do you think about that? Regards, Jorge.
Jorge, I have not had a problem and my package does not have an amount to exceed. Since you are only using it for this, I would not be worried. That being said, you need to do what is right for you and if you are concerned…it should be your decision. This recipe was one from my father and I have had used it with success as has several friends. I hope it helps you because, I firmly believe that this is the closest you will come to childbirth!