I was given heavy doses of a painkilling injection, as there was no other remedy available. Eventually, the tiny kidney stone traveled through the urinary tract and was finally ejected. What a relief! On leaving the hospital, the doctor warned me that this is, most of the time, a recurring condition.

Knowing that this could happen again, I was determined to investigate further into the matter. A friend of mine from Egypt told me that this ailment is prevalent there as well as in the countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea and it could be cured with local herbal medicine.

On this note, I started investigating and found out with the help of an Egyptian herbalist, that kidney stones could be treated efficiently with the seeds of a flower growing in the desert called: Bisra el Khela.

This medicine has been used in Egypt for centuries. The recipe is quite simple: bring some water to the boil, throw in a table spoon full of these seeds, simmer for ten minutes, pass the liquid through a strainer, let it cool down and drink it. A very small glass will do. But I must warn you, the taste is quite bitter.

According to the herbalist that we met, this potion has the ability to expand and enlarge the urinary tract, thus facilitating the passage of the kidney stone. A stone of 2mm to 3mm should be passed in a matter of 2 to 4 hours. This is what happens to me. Obviously not everybody is built the same; it may take longer with different individuals. For many years, I have given this potion to numerous friends and acquaintances of mine, when premonitory signs of pain have occurred. The pain was gone in a matter of hours.

The best thing is its ridiculous price. On the Egyptian markets, a pound of these seeds costs the equivalent of one US dollar and lasts for years!

The Latin name for this plant is: Ammi Visnaga (Khela)

We first ask them for a urine sample. Using a dip stick the nurse typically finds blood in the urine, often with hardly any infection (though there may well be infection, and often the presence of ketones, a sign of dehydration). The patient is then given intravenous fluids (salt water) to help flush the kidneys, and after the doctorís formal diagnosis, pain medication also. The aim of the pain medication is to give the patient a rest as the fluids help the stones pass through less painfully.

A blood test and cat scan is often ordered for further confirmation. The scan can show both the size and location of the stone. If there is no sign of infection, the patients go home with pain medication and instructions to increase their water intake. They are also advised to use a strainer to catch and save the kidney stone, which can then be sent for analysis. Certain foods may then be proscribed to diminish the likelihood that more kidney stones are produced.

From many patients I have heard what works best for kidney stones. Their advice is first, and above all, to drink lots of water. If you do not drink a lot of water your urine becomes more concentrated, making you more prone to develop new kidney stones. Here are some other tried-and-true tips:

o Avoid stress (as if thatís easy!) Kidney stone patients are very often
o under unusual stress.
o Avoid alcohol and sodas. They dehydrate you.
o Drink corn silk tea to flush the kidneys.
o Another helpful beverage is catnip tea with apple cider vinegar.
o Drink aloe vera (Itís sold in health food stores)
o If your kidney stones are calcium-related, lemonade helps to absorb the calcium.
o Walk, walk, walk. Prolonged body movement helps to move the stones out. We call this ìthe tough wayî.
o Be sure to have your thyroid and parathyroid checked. In some cases there is a connection.

How to prevent kidney stones in general:

1. Again – lots of water. This means eight 8-ounce glasses, and twelve glasses if you work outside. If your urine is smelly, you are probably not drinking enough water, and are at risk for a urinary tract infection (UTI).

2. Take vitamin C ñ 2,000 mg. a day.

3. No sodas or alcohol. If you do partake, for every glass of beverage drink an extra glass of water.

4. Work to strengthen your immune system.

5. Check your family history. Did any of your parents or grandparents have kidney stones? Get the story and learn from it, which often means to improve your lifestyle.

6. In Chinese medicine, the kidneys represent fear. To counteract any fear, try this positive affirmation: ìWater flows freely through me, making me safer.î As you repeat this affirmation regularly, try to sincerely feel its significance. Visualize it as a reality, not just words.

For real inspiration, try this wonderful quote from Aldous Huxley:

The kidneys are so beautifully organized; they do their work of regulation with such a miraculous–it’s hard to find another word–such a positively divine precision, such knowledge and wisdom, that there is no reason why our archetypal man, whoever he is, or anyone else, for that matter, should be ashamed to own a pair.”

Kidney stone formation is a common occurrence and the stones are so tiny that they pass out with the urine without any hindrance. The larger ones may cause pain and make things miserable before making their way out of the body. A large stone may get stuck in the ureter causing pressure and pain. Chances of infection rise if the stone remains stuck in the ureter for long. This may also lead to damage of the kidneys.

Types of Kidney Stones
The crystals in the urine are responsible for kidney stones. When there is an imbalance in the minerals and salts found in the urine, it may lead to their formation. Different types of stones are formed depending on the salts present in the urine.

Calcium Stones: These are the most commonly occurring kidney stones. 75% to 85% of all kidney stone cases are calcium stone based. These stones comprise of calcium and oxalate, which are introduced to the body through the food we eat. Excessive intake of calcium and oxalate can help form calcium stones. Besides, excessive vitamin D intake, and hyperactive parathyroid glands can also cause kidney stones.

Struvite Stones: These stones are not very common and are found mostly in women. The bacteria that cause urinary tract infection are responsible for the production of ammonia. Struvite stones, also known as infection stones, are formed when there is excessive ammonia in the urine.

Uric Acid Stones: People who eat meat products in excess run the risk of forming uric acid stones, as meat ingestion leads to production of uric acid, a by-product of protein metabolism.

Cystine Stones: These are the least common of all stones and are made from cystine, an amino acid. Cystinuria, a hereditary disorder, is responsible for the formation of cystine stones.

Preventing the Formation of Kidney Stones

o If you are prone to kidney stones, or would like to avoid kidney stones in future, the most effective preventive measure is drinking a lot of fluids, especially water. Two to three liters of water a day is enough to flush your kidneys thoroughly of contaminants.

o It would help to learn the type of stones that are formed in the kidneys, and the cause of formation too. You could change your eating habits accordingly and adjust the intake of certain types of salts and minerals that help in the formation of kidney stones.

o If you are prone to calcium stones, you could discuss the matter with your doctor, who may suggest you to lower your calcium intake. Foods that are rich in calcium are milk and milk products, and leafy vegetables.

o If your kidneys have uric acid stones, then reducing your meat, poultry and fish intake will surely help. Your doctor may also prescribe medication to manage the uric acid level in the urine.

o People, who get struvite stones, could be given antibiotics to help remove bacterial infection.

If you have had a kidney stone once, there is always a likelihood of its recurrence. Thus, it would be in your best interest to follow the advice on prevention.