What are the Best Natural Remedies for Kidney Stones?

Kidney stones are hardened masses, often resembling pebbles, that may develop in one or both kidneys. These stones frequently cause intense pain and may also lead to fever, nausea and vomiting. Patients often search for natural remedies for kidney stones to employ in conjunction with traditional pain medications or to use regularly to prevent kidney stones from forming. Some natural remedies include increasing water intake and drinking orange juice daily. Other remedies include mixing a concoction of olive oil, water and lemon juice, or adding certain foods to the diet, such as grapes and celery.

Increasing fluid intake, especially water, is one of the most widely suggested natural remedies for kidney stones. By drinking more fluids, a patient will urinate more frequently, reducing the amount of toxins in the kidneys and helping to flush out the stones. A person suffering from kidney stones should try to consume at least a half gallon (about 2 liters) of water each day.

Increasing the intake of certain foods, such as grapes, watermelon, and celery, may be helpful natural remedies for kidney stones as well. Likewise, reducing the amount of protein in the diet, especially animal-based proteins, is also believed to help prevent the formation of kidney stones. Alcoholic and carbonated beverages can increase the risk of developing kidney stones, so these items should be used only in moderation or avoided all together.

Orange juice has been shown to be one of the more effective natural remedies for kidney stones. Orange juice also can help prevent stones from forming, especially for those who have an increased risk of developing kidney stones. Simply drinking orange juice daily has been shown in several medical studies to be a helpful kidney stones remedy. Orange juice seems to be most effective of the citrus juices at preventing the formation of kidney stones.

Though oranges may be considered the best of the citrus fruits for treating or preventing kidney stones, lemons should not be discounted. Lemons also contain high amounts of citric acid, which has a natural tendency to prevent the formation of kidney stones. This places the use of lemon juice among the more preferred natural remedies for kidney stones. One of the common lemon juice concoctions involves mixing olive oil and lemon juice, about 2 ounces (60 ml) of each, into a glass of water. Some patients have reported passing stones within about a day of drinking this mixture.