Kidney stones can be dissolved with medication, herbal remedies, and shock wave lithotherapy. Prevention is key, with doctors recommending drinking at least 2.5 liters of fluids per day and consuming lemon to increase citrate levels. Calcium stones cannot be dissolved with diet or medicine, while uric acid stones can be dissolved with allopurinol and an alkalizing agent. Phosphoric acid found in soft drinks can also dissolve calcium-based stones. Herbal teas using hydrangea root, wild yam root, and other herbs can also be effective.
About one in ten people will develop kidney stones in their lifetime, which can be dissolved using medicinal or herbal remedies. Medications can control the level of acidity or alkalinity in the urine which can help dissolve some types of stones. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotherapy (ESWL), percutaneous nephrolithotomy, or ureteroscopic stone removal have also proven effective medical treatments. Taking phosphoric acid is a natural way to break down calcium buildup as is drinking herbal teas and lots of water.
It is widely accepted that prevention is the best medicine. For people with a history of kidney stones, doctors usually recommend passing at least 2.5 liters (2.3 liters) of urine per day. To do this, a patient will need to drink about 14 cups (3.3 liters) of fluids each day, and even more if the patient lives in a hot, dry climate. Lemon also helps prevent stone formation by increasing citrate levels in the urine. Many doctors recommend that patients drink a glass of lemonade, made with real lemons, once a day.
Most kidney stones are calcium stones. Calcium stones cannot be dissolved by changing diet or taking medicines. A small percentage of kidney stones are made up of uric acid, a waste product that normally leaves the body in the urine. Uric acid stones can sometimes be dissolved with medicine. To dissolve kidney stones like these, your doctor might prescribe allopurinol and an alkalizing agent.
Acids are often prescribed because they can naturally dissolve kidney stones which are calcium based. The liver plays no role in acid-based regulation and so is easily passed on to the kidneys. Phosphoric acid is found in most soft drinks and it has been claimed that drinking a glass of soda along with pureed green vegetables can help dissolve and eliminate kidney stones. Phosphoric acid is a mineral (inorganic) acid and pH regulator, used in the manufacture of fertilizers, detergents and pharmaceuticals, and as an additive in cola drinks. This may not seem like something a patient would want to put into her body, but used in a small dosage, the acid can help dissolve kidney stones.
Some more appealing natural remedies include herbal teas using herbs such as hydrangea root, wild yam root, cramp bark, joe-pye weed, yarrow leaf, plantain leaf, and corn silk. Dandelion and corn silk are effective diuretics to help stones pass naturally once they have dissolved. Goldenrod, an herb commonly found in nature, can also be effective in an infusion. The teas must be left to infuse in a covered pot for 20 minutes and it is recommended to consume 3-4 cups a day.
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