Drinking more water is the simplest way to achieve faster kidney stone relief. It helps your body rid itself of the kidney stones. Kidney stones form in the kidney. Some stones move from the kidney into the ureter. The ureters are tubes leading from the kidneys to the bladder. If a stone leaves the kidney and gets stuck in the ureter, it is called a ureteral stone. If the stone reaches the bladder, it can be passed out of the body in urine. If the stone becomes lodged in the ureter, it blocks the urine flow from that kidney and causes pain. You can think of drinking more water or adding more pressure and lubrication to push out the stones.
Drinking more water will help in both the beginning stages of your kidney stones where your body pushes the kidney stones into the ureters as well as end stages where you are pushing it out of your urethra.
2. Consume citric acid
Citric acid, found in various fruits such as lemons, limes, and oranges, can help prevent the formation of new stones and assist in breaking down existing stones. If you don’t like sour fruits, adding a couple of squeezes to your water can help.
Make sure you avoid excess sugar consumption such as adding additional sugar to balance out the sourness. Consuming too much fructose has been shown to increase the chances of developing kidney stones. This is something you want to avoid if you tend to get kidney stones regularly.
3. Maybe ask your doctor about alpha blockers
According to most people, kidney stones tend to be the most painful in the beginning stages. This is when your kidneys are pushing out the stone into your ureters. The kidney stone will then try to pass through the ureters and to your bladder then urethra.
The reason why this process is so painful is because your ureters are very narrow. A stone passing through the ureters adds a lot of pressure and stimulates a lot of nerves and causes severe muscle spasms. You can help decrease the pressure and pain by asking your doctor about alpha blockers.
Alpha blockers can relax the muscles. This will help the kidney stone pass through the ureters with less tension and pressure. The pressure is what often causes a lot of muscle spasms that adds to the pain you’re already feeling.
4. Take supplementation
Yes, supplements do work for kidney stone relief. They help assist your body in breaking up the stones so that the stones are easier to pass. Some of the supplements also help prevent the formation of new stones. This is very helpful if you tend to deal with recurring bouts of kidney stones.
However, be wary of using supplements that contain Chanca piedra. It is only recommended that you take this ingredient for up to three months. There are other supplements that can be taken for long periods of time without any problems.
5. Consider pain relievers.
If you know you are dealing with smaller stones, then taking pain relievers until they pass can help you deal with all the unpleasant symptoms you’ll be dealing for the next couple of days. Painkillers like Advil and Motrin will go a long way in helping you tolerate the pain and allow you to go about with your day.
6. Use a heating pad
Another way to find kidney stone relief is to use a heating pad. Heat up the belly area for around 15 to 30 minutes, multiple times a day. This may help alleviate some of the pain in the initial stages of passing the kidney stone.
