9 Natural Remedies for Kidney Stones

| Modified on Sep 03, 2023
Add New Post Comments

Said to be more painful than childbirth, kidney stones need solutions that will provide fast and effective relief! Natural remedies can bring swift resolution to kidney stones and relieve pain in the meanwhile. Home treatments include combinations of olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, herbs, supplements and dietary changes.

Kidney Stone Symptoms

Kidney stones usually cause pain in the back or side. The pain is often severe. There may be blood in the urine, frequent urination or pain while urinating. Urine flow may be hindered due to the stone. A urinary tract infection can accompany kidney stones and may cause fever. Nausea and vomiting are not uncommon.

The first time kidney stones are suspected, a medical diagnosis is wise to rule out another more serious condition.

Types of Kidney Stones

There are four different types of kidney stones.1 Some remedies may be more effective at eliminating certain types of stones. Without a lab analysis it may be difficult to know which type of stone is the problem. However, certain risk factors are connected to each type of stone, making it easier to predict the kind of stone that is involved. This can make it easier to choose an optimally compatible remedy.

Calcium Stones

Calcium stones are the most common type of kidney stone. They are usually in the form of calcium oxalate, though they can be in the form of calcium phosphate.

Struvite Stones

Struvite stones are most likely to accompany an infection.

Uric Acid Stones

Uric acid stones can be a result of chronic dehydration. Uric acid is also a cause of gout. High protein diets can also be connected to uric acid stones.

Cystine Stones

Cystine stones are connected to a hereditary disorder.

How are Kidney Stones Treated?

Traditional kidney stone treatment includes diagnostic tests, medications, including pain medication, rest, and sometimes surgical procedures.

In lieu of traditional treatments natural remedies are often considered due to their safety, availability and effectiveness.

Home Treatments for Kidney Stones

1. Lemon Juice and Olive Oil

Hands down the lemon juice and olive oil protocol for kidney stones is the most popular. Typically, two ounces of each are consumed several times a day until the stones pass. This is not surprising since lemon juice is useful in dissolving calcium stones, the most common type of kidney stone.2

2. Apple Cider Vinegar

In the world of natural remedies, when in doubt, apple cider vinegar always seems to come to the forefront. Raw and organic apple cider vinegar is a useful remedy for kidney stones.

3. Juice

Lemon juice, lime juice, pomegranate juice and other juices have been use to dissolve or relieve kidney stones. Surely quality fluids are especially important during a bout of kidney stones and make a great addition to other kidney stone protocols.

4. Baking Soda

Baking soda is a useful remedy for uric acid stones because it increases the alkalinity of the urine, which can help dissolve the stones and prevent future stone formation.3 Ideally when using baking soda for stones, pH test strips are used as well to find the ideal amount of baking soda to consume daily to get the urine to the ideal alkalinity, specifically 6-6.5. Baking soda, when used as a natural remedy is taken in water, usually by adding ¼ teaspoon to water. If the desired alkalinity is not reached with ¼ teaspoon baking soda in water, the amount can be increased to ½ teaspoon, etc.

5. Herbs

There are a number of herbs that have been proven useful for kidney stone sufferers. Chanca Piedra is a popular remedy, and no wonder – its nickname is “stonebreaker.”

Other herbs are useful as well. Some work by dissolving stones. Others work by providing a more comfortable passage of kidney stones. Alfalfa, cornsilk, gravel root, and marshmallow root are common herbs that benefit the urinary system in general and kidney stones in particular.

6. Castor Oil

Castor oil is especially useful as a pain remedy. A topical castor oil pack can be used with along with internal remedies as a complementary treatment

To make a castor oil pack for kidney stones follow these directions:

  • Fold a large piece of cotton flannel or wool (a square of cotton bath towel will work in a pinch, but it will not ever be able to be used as a bath towel again) into a rectangle about 6 inches by 8 inches.
  • Slowly add castor oil to the cloth until it is wet with castor oil but not soaked.
  • Place the cloth against the skin at the area where the pain is most intense.
  • Cover the cloth with a piece of plastic wrap.
  • Use an ace bandage to secure the cloth and plastic to the body.
  • Apply a heating pad or hot water bottle to the castor oil pack. Keep the heat applied for 2 hours. (It is not recommended to sleep with a heating pad!)

The castor oil pack can be used as long as desired. If used overnight it can be placed in a plastic bag and reused the next night, and even up to 20 or more applications. More castor oil may need to be added.)

Castor oil works well to relieve pain. It may also help some types of stones to dissolve, soften or dislodge.

7. Warm Bath

A warm bath can be soothing for kidney stone pain. Adding 1 cup of magnesium can help with relaxation.

8. Supplements

Some useful supplements for kidney stone sufferers include:

  • B-64
  • Magnesium
  • Vitamin C

9. Dietary Changes

A good diet will benefit overall health and can prevent kidney stones.

Some general guidelines include:

  • A diet that is mostly comprised of a variety of whole foods.
  • Sugar and processed foods are kept to a minimum.
  • Coffee and soda should be used in careful moderation.
  • Alcohol should be consumed sparingly.
  • Hydration is important for kidney health and can prevent stones! Herbal tea and pure water are ideal sources of hydration.
  • Watermelon is an especially wonderful food for kidney stone sufferers. Not only does it promote hydration it is sometimes used as a natural remedy for kidney stones.

Do you have a natural remedy for kidney stones? Please send us some feedback!

Sources:

1.  https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/kidney-stones/symptoms-causes/syc-20355755

2.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18946667

3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21121431

4.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10203369




Apple Cider Vinegar, Chanca Piedra

1 User Review
1 star (1) 
  100%


Posted by Su (New York) on 02/14/2018
★☆☆☆☆

I have 8 mm kidney stone . Took 2 tablespoons ACV 2 x a day and chanca piatra for 3 months but the kidney stone stilll the same.. Ended up with lithotripsy

Replied by Teena
(Melbourne, Australia)
02/15/2018
235 posts

How much CP did you take? Mine says 5 cups of CP tea a day for treatment, start to see benefits in two weeks..


Apple Cider Vinegar, Corn Silk Tea

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%


Posted by ACVlover (Canada) on 12/06/2022
★★★★★

I had to create an account to talk about this! 2 months ago I suffered my first kidney stone attack. On ultrasound they said it was 6mm...after a little over a week later I had another ultrasound and they said it was now 8mm!! (stuck at the top of my ureter) I wanted to try and take care of this myself... I'm breastfeeding and wanted to avoid any invasive surgeries. I started drinking apple cider vinegar daily, maybe a few tablespoons every day mixed with large glasses of water. The ACV took care of the pain I had! I went crazy with the lemon water as well...I just had to use a straw for both to protect my teeth.

My mother in law sent me some corn silk tea and the night I took it I noticed blood in urine and a bit of cramping (must have been moving! ). I had an x-ray after a few weeks and "nothing notable! " I was so excited but they wanted me to have another ultrasound because I didn't pass anything yet. I'm guessing the stones were too small for them to see with x-ray! I was due to have my ultrasound tomorrow and after drinking a big glass of ACV in my water I passed 3 stones!! ZERO pain coming out too! The 2 pieces that came out first were about the size of a quarter of my pinky nail...so they're pretty big! The 3rd was a little smaller.

I'm still amazed they came out pain free! They still want me to have my ultrasound tomorrow, but I had to mention what I tried! I had 3 or 4 doctors tell me it would be "near impossible" to pass anything that's 8 mm! :) Faith in God really helps. God bless anyone going through this!


Apple Cider Vinegar, Olive Oil

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%


Posted by Aaron (MT) on 06/01/2023 2 posts
★★★★★

Have had Kidney stones forming for a couple of weeks, which has never happened. The only other times I have had stones, they were full on there and I couldn't move a muscle without pain. 15 out of 10 pain. If I sat completely still, I was pain free.

With this incident, I can move and walk and go to the store, everything normal but there is slight pain, like a 4 out of 10...

With the previous stones, Cranberry Juice dissolved them. One gallon sitting there because I couldn't move, and that was that... That didn't work this time, I drank 3 gallons in 5 days or so... Back in the day, "Cranberry Juice" was exactly that... Now, it's "Apple and Pear and 400 other things and 2% Cranberry". It reminds me of "Almond Milk" that is about an Ounce of Almonds and the rest is Water and additives. If you like "Almond Milk" and learn to make your own, you will never buy those cartons again.

A couple of ounces of ACV in 16 oz water with a little Olive Oil... Slammed it down, and chased it with 16 ounces of plain water... Pain gone within a few minutes.

Now, time to cut down on Salt and increase water intake, get back to a 36 Hour water fast once a week.


Replied by James
(Westminster, Colorado Usa)
09/28/2009
★★★★★

Update.....there was no stone in my bladder. Screening my urine revealed the stone had been dissolved into a fine powder. I don't know if it was a combination of the 2 treatments, but if I had to choose only one, I would go with the caster oil/heating pad. I was able to urinate freely withing 45 minutes of the first oil pack treatment and the stone dissolved the next night 75 minutes into the oil pack treatment.

Citric Acid

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%


Posted by helping others (France) on 07/28/2023
★★★★★

High dose of citric acid (2 tablespoons the morning and 2 in the evening) for fews days will cure oxalic acid crystals inside your cell very fast, faster than most remedies here, and also kidney stones I think


Garlic, Lemon

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%


Posted by Salvavida (Woodbridge, Virginia) on 11/20/2011
★★★★★

As for kidney stones, I was told this recipe dissolves them:

1. 40 cloves of garlic chopped finely ( I use the processor) 5-6 lemons cut in half and seeds removed.

2. Process in the processor (including the skins).

3. Combine lemons and garlic and a liter of water bring to a simmering boil then remove from heat.

4. Strain garlic and lemon from the water.

Put the lemon/garlic water in a jar or pitcher and keep refrigerated.

Dosage: For three weeks take a shot glass every day. Then off one week. Then repeat for three weeks again.


IP6 and Inositol

2 User Reviews
5 star (2) 
  100%


Posted by Hoss (Ennis, Tx) on 01/25/2020
★★★★★

Kidney stone dissolved:

On the advice of my doctor, I used IP6 & inositol (inositol hexaphosphate) to dissolve a kidney stone. I took 2 in the morning and 2 at night 90 minutes away from food. It worked.....

Replied by maria
(ON)
03/14/2022
12 posts

hHw many days to get rid of stone? what brand did you use?

Betty
(CA)
03/15/2022
★★★★★

Just to jump in here.

My aunt took pure encapsulations brand. She took 3 caps 3x per day. It took a week and 1/2 for her to pass 2 stones. Pure misery but goal achieved. Not sure if she took potassium citrate also. She passed last year, age 86.

I believe the time it takes depends on size of stone vs dosage.


Kidney Stone Inducing Medications

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%


Posted by Ria (Nevada) on 10/17/2022
★★★★★

Just a caution about certain meds.

I had serious gastrointestinal issues, GERD, heartburn, etc. and was told to take sucralfate. I also used Tums and proton pump inhibitors whenever I thought I needed them. When I went to emergency with huge pain in my kidney and surrounding area, they determined I passed a stone. My diet is very simple and no red meat, only some chicken, no drinking, nothing excessive. There is nothing in it that's conducive to kidney stones. Nobody in my family has ever had them. I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that I got the stones from these meds. I've never had them in my life before, and they all have a history of stone formation in people. Now the challenge is to get rid of them permanently and still heal the gastro issues. DGL, slippery elm, marshmellow root, L-glutamine, cayenne, kefir, yogurt, mastic gum. I have had good success with them.

Replied by learningallthetime
(Colorado)
12/17/2022

Reading through what you were doing - it possibly could have been the Tums.


Low Oxalate Diet, Magnesium Citrate

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%


Posted by Chip J. (St. Augustine, FL) on 01/27/2019
★★★★★

After 30 years of kidney stones I am finally stone free. I've had over 16 calcium oxalate stones. My first was in 1988 the next was in 2001. Since then I have had at least 15 stones. I started taking control of my eating habits in 2008, but it was not until 2017 that I finally took the steps that resulted in my being stone free.

The first thing I did in 2008 was to cut high oxalate foods from my diet. Spinach, black tea, beans (both green and dry, in fact any legume), processed chocalate, white and sweet potatoes and carrots were the first things I dropped. This took stones from appearing every 15 to 18 months to 3 years.

Then I discovered the University of Chicago's kidney Stone web pages, they are awesome. From them I learned how stone formers have a different body chemistry and that just 50 MG of oxalates can cause stones to form.

Their list of the amount of oxalates in foods was the most comprehensive I had seen. Learning about different foods validated my decision to eliminate high oxalate foods but really showed the need to watch what you eat because oxalates show up anywhere. One tip they gave was to take a high citrate supplement. It turns out that citrate binds to oxalate ions and stops them from being released into the body. I elected to take Magnesium Citrate. I also stumbled onto the “Trying Low Oxalate” yahoo users group. They have lots of members who must limit oxalates for lots of health reasons, (endometriosis is just one). Something I would have not thought of are high oxalate spices and supplements.

From them I found out that just one packet of Stevia sweetener has 47 mg of oxalate (I switched to monk fruit extract which has zero oxalate.) Their list of foods is even better than the University of Chicago's. This past August I received another ultrasound, I asked to be tested because of all the steps I had taken. (I have had them after every stone I had ever passed, normally there would be 2 to 4 small stones still present.) This time I was found to be stone free. One final tip, I heard from one food manufacturer, they claimed that only unprocessed cocao had no oxalates. That even dark chocolate is processed and has oxalates.

I hope that my story helps others get rid of their stones.


Multiple Remedies

2 User Reviews
5 star (2) 
  100%


Posted by Edward (Ny) on 12/08/2018
★★★★★

Green Tea, Cayenne Pepper, Castor or Flaxseed Oil.

The sonogram showed I had five stones in my right kidney and two in my left kidney at the same time. my pain was in my stomach and mid to lower back. My stomach was bloated. I had to wait two days for the bloating to go away. I drank distilled water with cranberry juice no additives. Then I started the cayenne pepper and other oils and citrus juices. The fourth day I started passing the stones. I went back on the sixth day and the sonogram proved the kidney stones were gone.

Replied by Julian
(Ma)
12/11/2018

Interesting. I just went through the painful ordeal 2 days ago. 1 stone passed found it in the urine. Want to find out what can dissolve these stones.


Probiotics

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%


Posted by Art (California ) on 07/01/2018 1962 posts
★★★★★

Chronic Recurring Kidney Stones

Many people get kidney stones and are able to effectively eliminate them with Chanca Piedra or the olive oil with lemon juice remedy, but what do you do if the stones keep recurring? If they are like the majority of stones, they are likely formed from calcium oxalate, so reducing calcium intake may be helpful, but what else can you do to try and prevent them from coming back?

The following PubMed abstract suggests that probiotics containing some common Lactobacillus strains may be just the ticket to help deal with this common and often painful problem. Considering that probiotics can have a myriad of positive health effects, this may be a very nice option to have!

Art

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25291139

J Clin Gastroenterol. 2014 Nov-Dec;48 Suppl 1:S91-5. doi: 10.1097/MCG.0000000000000228.

Screening of different probiotic strains for their in vitro ability to metabolise oxalates: any prospective use in humans?

Mogna L1, Pane M, Nicola S, Raiteri E.

BACKGROUND:

Oxalate is the salt-forming ion of oxalic acid and can generate oxalate salts combining with various cations, such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. Approximately 75% of all kidney stones are composed primarily of calcium oxalate (CaOx) and hyperoxaluria, a condition involving high urinary oxalate concentration, is considered a primary risk factor for kidney stone formation, known as nephrolithiasis. Current therapeutic strategies often fail in their compliance or effectiveness, and CaOx stone recurrence is still common. After an initial stone, there is a 50% chance of forming a second stone within 7 years if the condition is left untreated. The potential therapeutic application of some probiotics, mainly lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, in reducing hyperoxaluria in vivo through intestinal oxalate degrading activity is compelling and initial reports are promising. This study was undertaken to screen different Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains for their capacity to degrade oxalate in vitro using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

METHODS:

The oxalate-degrading activity of 13 lactobacilli and 5 bifidobacteria was tested using a novel HPLC method after growth in a broth culture added with 10 mM ammonium oxalate. Experiments were repeated 3 times. Oxalobacter formigenes (DSM 4420) was used as positive reference to validate HPLC oxalate-degrading capability assays.

RESULTS:

Lactobacillus strains were more efficient than bifidobacteria in degrading oxalates. L. paracasei LPC09 (DSM 24243) gave the best result, as 68.5% of ammonium oxalate was converted at the end of incubation, whereas the following best converters belong to the L. gasseri and L. acidophilus species. The relatively low conversion rate observed for most bifidobacteria can probably be attributed to intrinsic oxalate toxicity toward this genus.

CONCLUSIONS:

Humans lack the enzymes needed to directly metabolise oxalate, and this potentially toxic compound is, therefore, managed using alternative pathways. As oxalate-degrading bacteria are present in the endogenous microbiota of the human intestine, although with significant individual differences, it is possible to hypothesise that the administration of selected oxalate-degrading probiotics could be an alternative and innovative approach to reducing the intestinal absorption of oxalate and the resulting urinary excretion.

Replied by Paracelsus
(Orlando, Fl)
07/05/2018
47 posts

You can't go wrong supplementing with probiotics. However, another important point here is for people who struggle with recurring kidney stones is to increase magnesium intake. Reducing calcium intake and increasing magnesium intake is key. In the presence of Magnesium, oxalates will combine with magnesium to form magnesium oxalate instead of calcium oxalate.

Per Wikipedia, " Magnesium (Mg2+) oxalate is 567 times more soluble than calcium oxalate, so the latter is more likely to precipitate out when magnesium levels are low and calcium and oxalate levels are high."

In other words, if you have enough magnesium, the oxalates will be excreted through the urine without forming stones.

Incidentally, there is a lot of misinformation on YouTube and the internet by so called experts who advise avoiding foods high in oxalates. Some of the foods they list are absolutely super foods, such as spinach, avocado and almonds. What these so called experts don't take into consideration is that while these foods have high levels of oxalates, they are also among the foods with the highest levels of magnesium.

Yes, mother nature has more wisdom than our scientists and does not make mistakes!

Replied by Angela
(Yachats, Or)
08/09/2018

Incredibly useful information. I will try this. I tried the olive oil/lemon method, and it made my condition 10X worse, putting me on the ground in even worse agonizing pain. Probably the worst pain I've ever been in my life. I will never do it again. Will try this. Thank you Art for sharing this information!

Replied by Angela
(Or)
08/24/2018

The olive oil/lemon thing caused me to be in the worst agony I have ever been in in my life.

Next, I tried magnesium. Magnesium was able to break it up within 1 week and finally passed pieces of what appeared to be a VERY large stone, as big as a pea. Frightening. Now I see why I was in so much pain. Magnesium is incredible..

Replied by Brian L.
(Osoyoos, Bc, Canada)
09/25/2018

Angela,

How much magnesium were you taking?



Advertisement