Renal calculi are solid accretions of mineral substances that are found in the urine. These can vary in size and number and are generally found in the ureters, bladder or the kidneys. The smallest kidney stones could be as much as a pinhead, while the largest could be the size of a grapefruit. Accumulation of minerals in the urine is a very normal phenomenon, and in most cases, they are passed out with the urine without any sensation to the person. However, if the mineral accretions accumulate into big sizes over time, then they are not eliminated the normal way. This is when sharp pains are felt in the flanks, abdomen and groin. This is what is commonly referred to as the medical problem of renal calculi or kidney stones.

In medical language, renal calculi are also termed as nephrolithiases or urolithiases, where the root word ‘lith’ means a stone. Ayurveda terms this problem as vrukka ashmari.

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What causes kidney stones

Our kidneys do the all-important work of filtering the impurities out of the bloodstream. This process is called as excretion. Excretion is not a single step process. In order to understand why renal calculi are formed, it is necessary to have at least a layman’s knowledge of the human excretory process.

Excretion takes place in the Malphigian bodies located in the renal cortex of the kidney. The Malphigian body is a system of highly coiled glomerulus which is in contact with a cup-shaped region called as the Bowman’s capsule. When impure blood flows through the glomerulus under pressure, the ultra-filtration takes place, when the impurities are voided from the blood into the Bowman’s capsule. However, in this process several of the important minerals and water content is also voided out.

In the next process, called as selective re-absorption, the filtered content passes through the U-shaped tube of Henle. This is when most of the essential minerals and water are reabsorbed back into the bloodstream. These minerals pass out into the circulatory system of the body via the blood. But in some instances, some mineral residues are left behind in the kidneys, causing what is commonly known as kidney stones. Over time, these kidney stones could grow in size and cause pains.

In normal conditions, the human urine contains some factors that inhibit (thwart) the buildup of mineral deposits in it. Such substances are magnesium, citrates, pyrophosphate, etc. If there is a deficiency of these substances, then there is a chance that the minerals will crystallize in the urine leading to kidney stones.

People who take antacids and thus alter the pH of the urine are also at higher risk of getting kidney stones since altering the pH of the urine causes precipitation of the minerals.

Ayurveda treats nephrolithiases as a kapha dosha disorder. Kapha dosha is responsible for the proper balance between the earth and the water components, i.e. it pertains to the symbiosis between the surroundings and the human body. Vitiation in the kapha dosha can bring about accumulation of mineral deposits in the excretory tract, giving rise to kidney stones.

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Kidney stones are not indiscriminate, i.e. they affect only particular types of people. The following are the groups of people who are more susceptible of developing kidney stones than others:-

People who live on a diet rich in animal protein and low in fibers and fluids can get kidney stones due to mineral retention in their urinary tract.

People who have a family history of kidney stones may get it themselves, indicating a hereditary aspect of the problem.

People with complaints of high blood pressure (hypertension) are more at risk of getting kidney stones.

People who are bedridden due to long illnesses can get stones in their kidneys.

People who have heartburn repeatedly and take antacids have greater chances of developing kidney stones.

People who work in stressful conditions are also probable targets of kidney stones.

At the same time, men are much more vulnerable to vrukka ashmari than women. A survey indicated that one-fourteenth of all men and one-thirtieth of all women are susceptible to kidney stones. This means that men have double the chances of getting kidney stones than women. Also, the onset of kidney stones is generally observed between the ages of 20 and 40 years.

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Renal calculi develop quite stealthily, as there are no observable symptoms of kidney stones in the early stages. As time advances, the person begins to feel the following symptoms of kidney stones:-

• Severe pain in the flanks, lower abdomen and groin area
• Burning sensation while urinating
• Blood in the urine
• Feelings of nausea and vomiting
• Fear psychosis in traveling and consuming food.

Apart from these kidney stones symptoms, if there is fever accompanied with chills, then it is most probably a urinary tract infection. The complication must be diagnosed through a doctor and proper medication must be done.

Some people think that sharper pains and more blood in the urine means a bigger sized kidney stone. However, this is just a misconception. It is not the size of the stone, but the placement of it in the urinary tract and the mineral content of it that is responsible for severer kidney stones symptoms.

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Stones that are allowed to remain in the kidneys for prolonged periods of time will grow in size. This will lead to the necessity of surgical removal. Hence, medical help must be sought as soon as the symptoms of renal calculi begin to make their appearance. Also, kidney stones can lead to urinary tract infections.

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Renal calculi are non-communicable; they cannot be transmitted from one person to another. This is a metabolic disorder and arises due to problems in the physiology of excretion. However, the disorder can be genetically transmitted.

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It is not very difficult to prevent the onset of renal calculi. Some changes in the lifestyle and diet are required. The following are some guidelines.

• Lead an active lifestyle. Perform plenty of exercise through your work.
• At the same time, do not overexert yourself by adhering to stringent exercise routines.
• Be cheerful as far as possible. Mental tensions and worries can prove to be triggering factors for kidney stones.
• There are several dietary steps to be followed. For those guidelines, refer to the next topic.

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A substantial diet can be your best protection against renal calculi. The following guidelines must be obeyed:-

Several foods can increase the chances of getting renal calculi. The following is a list of such foods, which must be avoided:-

Vitamin C can help minerals crystallize in the urine. Hence, all sources of vitamin C such as oranges, lemons, tomatoes, etc. must be avoided by people who have a history of renal calculi.

Foods with vitamin D supplements in them must be avoided.

Fruits such as apples, figs, pineapples and berries must also be avoided as they are rich in mineral iron content.

Spices must be reduced in the diet. Special avoidance of black pepper and red chili must be followed.

Milk and milk products such as chocolates, cheese and butter are harmful to people with a propensity towards vrukka ashmari.

Vegetables such as cauliflower, cabbage, asparagus and spinach can bring about faster crystallization of minerals in the urine.

Beverages such as tea and coffee must be reduced.

Alcohol must be strictly avoided, especially beer as it is brewed with Brewer’s Yeast.

If the urine of the person is acidic, then most probably there is mineralization due to excessive flesh foods. Such people must avoid all the three kinds of flesh foods, viz. meat, fish and poultry.

At the same time, the person must take a large amount of fluids, especially water. Plain water helps to increase the liquid bulk of urine. In most cases, people can get the stones broken down by drinking a lot of water and then allowing a strong flow of urine to pass out through their urethra.

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Kidney Stones Treatment

Since centuries, Ayurveda has been quite efficient in curing problems with kidney stones. Both individual herbs and Ayurvedic preparations are efficacious in solving vrukka ashmari problems.

The following is a list of the most prominent Ayurvedic herbs used in the kidney stones treatment, with their actions on the human body.

Apart from the herbs mentioned above, the following Ayurvedic preparations are also known to have efficiency in treating renal calculi:-

• Kshara parpati
• Shilajit
• Ashmari hara kashaya
• Chandraprabha

Gokshura kadha is a decoction that is used to promote easy flow of urine. It also helps in relieving the burning sensation while passing out the urine.

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