Kidney Stone Relief: Symptoms, and Prevention
This post may contain editorial samples and/or affiliate links. We earn a commission on your sales.
Table of Contents
Kidney Stones Relief: Symptoms, Prevention
Kidney stones are something that I am always worried about. I have not personally experienced them, but I am aware that I am at higher risk of them given my stage 3 Kidney disease. This post discusses information about kidney stones and kidney stone relief.
Kidney stones are one of the most painful conditions ever. Ouch. They can cause an intense burning sensation in the back, side, or abdomen area, and they often lead to debilitating pain that lasts for hours.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for kidney stones; you can only try for Kidney stones relief and preventing future occurrences. Let’s talk about how to do that.
What are kidney stones?
Kidney stones are solid masses of minerals and salts that form inside the kidney.
They are not always associated with kidney disease but can run hand in hand.
Besides blocking flow-through urine, larger stones can cause severe pain in their passage through the body.
Risk of kidney stones
A sedentary lifestyle as well a heavy alcohol consumption can cause kidney stones. Here are some other risks of kidney stones:
- Dehydration
Drinking water helps to remove the crystals in your pee, which can help you avoid kidney stones. Drink at least 8 glasses a day to stay hydrated and reduce your risk!
- Diet
We need to take in a lot of salt because it helps the heart. But too much can harm the kidneys. It takes more calcium from your bones and makes them weaker. A diet with too much protein or sugar can make your body produce harmful substances, such as stones that form in your urine.
- Family or personal history
To avoid lifelong pain with kidney stones, get screened for them. If kidney stones have been a problem in your family before and they are in your genes, then there is an increased risk of developing bladder or kidney stones that would cause severe pain and make it hard to pee.
- Obesity
Higher BMI, a large waist size, and weight gain are all signs of health problems. Many Americans have these three things in common because they are more likely to suffer from kidney stones as a result.
- Digestive diseases and surgery
Diseases of the digestive system can lead to problems with absorption. This may increase your risk for kidney stones. Diseases like gastric bypass surgery and inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis may cause this.
Kidney stone symptoms
The most common symptom of kidney stones is a pain in the side, back, or abdomen which may come and go for a few hours before becoming constant.
Other symptoms include:
- nausea
- vomiting
- fever
- chills
- cloudy or bloody urine
- difficulty urinating
- side, back, or abdomen pain
If you experience any one of these symptoms it’s important to see your doctor as soon as possible so they can diagnose what’s causing it and treat it accordingly.
What is kidney stone pain like?
I truly hope you never have to find out the answer to this question on your own, because kidney stone pain is up there with giving birth, breaking a bone, etc. Think of the worst pain you’ve been in: kidney stones will probably be that bad, or worse. There are exceptions, but kidney stone pain is pretty awful.
People may describe kidney stone pain differently. In my experience, kidney stone pain is sharp and can be debilitating. You may feel cramps in your back, side, or even down to your groin, depending on where the kidney stones are located. If they’re still in your kidneys, you can expect the pain to be in and around your kidneys. But if the stones have already started moving through, you can feel pain anywhere along the path of the stone.
Kidney stone relief treatment
There are several kidney stone treatment options.
Surgical options include:
- Shock wave lithotripsy is a non-invasive treatment that uses high-energy sound waves to blast fragments of stones into pieces. This procedure is commonly used to remove larger kidney stones.
- Percutaneous nephrolithotomy involves creating a small hole on your back and directly removing or breaking up larger kidney stones.
- Ureteroscopy uses a fiberoptic camera to enter the ureter and kidney. Your doctor can then remove or break up smaller stones using delicate instruments.
- Pyelolithotomy involves the removal of a stone from within the renal pelvis or from the ureter, and can be done as an open or laparoscopic procedure.
Home remedies for kidney stone relief
If you think you have a kidney stone, you should see a doctor. This is no time for home remedies.
However, I know not everyone has access to medical treatments. Healthline has some natural kidney stone remedies that are worth checking out.
How to prevent kidney stones
A huge key to preventing kidney stones is learning how to stay hydrated. The majority of people need 8-12 glasses of water each day. Water is a much better choice than soda, sports drinks, or coffee. In fact, caffeine can have negative effects on your kidneys.
Caffeine is a stimulant, which can cause increased blood flow, blood pressure, and stress on the kidneys. Excessive caffeine intake has also been linked to kidney stones.
Eating oxalate-rich foods in moderation and reducing your intake of salt and animal proteins can lower your risk of kidney stones. Sugar should only be consumed in small doses.
If you’ve had a kidney stone or you’re at risk for a kidney stone, speak with your doctor and discuss the best methods of prevention. They may prescribe medications that can help prevent the formation of stones.
When you’re trying to prevent future kidney stones, keeping track of meals, hydration, and everyday food choices can start to feel overwhelming. Having a simple system in place can make it easier to stay consistent without overthinking every decision.
Trying to make kidney-friendly meal planning feel a little easier?
My Kidney-Friendly Meal Planner includes printable meal planning pages, grocery lists, hydration trackers, and low-energy meal ideas designed to support real life — not perfection.
→ Explore it here: https://ginasprintableshop.com
Foods to avoid
The prevention of kidney stones is not always possible but there are a few things you can try.
Oxalate is present in a number of commonly known foods, including Oxalates calcium, and proteins.
What to eat: kidney diet
Stick with kidney-friendly snacks and meals, and stay hydrated.
If you have an elevated risk of developing kidney stones or have recurring kidney stones, your doctor may suggest a specific kidney diet or prescribe medications.
Living with kidney stones
We all know kidney stones are painful. Living with kidney stones can be tough, but there are some things that you can do to work through the pain. For example, stay hydrated and don’t hold in your pee for too long if possible.
Try taking over-the-counter medications to help relieve inflammation.
If none of these methods seem to work for you, talk about it with a physician because they may prescribe stronger medications like codeine or morphine which have fewer side effects than other drugs on the market today.
Overall, living with kidney stones is not fun but it doesn’t mean you should resign yourself to feeling this way forever! There’s hope and I want nothing more than for those who deal with chronic kidney stone issues to find relief.
Follow Me On Social Media:
