If you have ever experienced kidney stone pain, you know how sudden and painful it can be, and it can also affect your daily life routine. People want to get rid of it as soon as possible. Some stones leave your body naturally, but you can also speed up the process by performing multiple things.
This blog will help you to know how you can speed up the passing of kidney stones and prevent them from further increasing, with suitable exercise and home remedies.
Understanding Kidney Stones
These are mineral and salt accumulations that develop within your kidneys. It can be of different sizes, essentially, ranging from the grain size to the size of a small pebble. As these stones pass from the kidney to the bladder via a small, narrow channel called the ureter, they produce severe pain, discomfort, or illness.
There are several kinds of kidney stones:
Calcium oxalate stones– The most prevalent kind, and forms when calcium and oxalate combine in the urine, creating crystals that can solidify
Uric acid stones- which are frequently associated with a high degree of protein in meals
Struvite stones– These are normally brought about by infections
Cystine stones – An inherited, rare type of kidney stone formed from the amino acid cystine, which comes as a rare genetic disorder and is also known as cystinuria
Can all kidney stones pass on their own?
Not all kidney stones can pass naturally, but some of them can, like :
- Small stones – These stones usually pass on their own within days or weeks are Small, around or under 5 mm.
- Medium stones -these stones that pass with medications and lifestyle support are usually medium, between 5–10 mm.
- Larger stones – These typically do not pass on their own and often require medical procedures like lithotripsy or ureteroscopy. They are Large stones over 10 mm.
How to speed up passing a kidney stone
- Drink Plenty of Water: The effective way to pass a kidney stone naturally through urination.
- Use Doctor-Prescribed Medications: they help the ureter muscles relax, which helps the stone move out easily.
- Stay Active and Move Around: Simple activities like walking can help to shift the stone position, which makes it easier to pass through.
- Apply Heat to Relieve Pain: A heating pad near your lower back or abdomen can help to relieve pain to a time the stone passes.
- Maintain a Balanced Diet: managing a proper diet, like removing chocolate, nuts, and limiting salt from your diet, not only helps in passing the stones but also helps in preventing new ones.
Exercises that may help with kidney stones
- 20–30 minutes walking several times a day
Gentle walking keeps your body moving and can help stones shift naturally.
- Light jogging
If your pain is tolerable, mild jogging helps your kidneys and ureters experience small jolts that may move the stone.
- Step climbing or going up and down stairs
The up-and-down motion may help a small stone change position.
- Jumping jacks or skipping rope only if the pain is bearable
Some doctors suggest short bursts of these to use gravity to encourage movement.
- Yoga or stretching
It can ease muscle tension and improve urine flow.
When to see a doctor immediately
Run towards the doctor immediately if you experience:
- Signs of infection or Fever and chills
- Blood in urine that worsens over time
- Not able to pass urine at all
- If the severe pain does not improve even after Medications
This happens due to a stone that is stuck or too large and may require medical treatment to remove it.
Conclusion: Effective Kidney Stone Relief with Dr. Deepanshu Gupta
You can pass a kidney stone earlier with enough water intake, prescribed medications, physical activity, and a specific diet that aids in the situation. However, if the stone is huge or the pain becomes too intense, do not delay seeking expert care.
Dr. Deepanshu Gupta is the best urologist in Gurgaon whom you can rely on. He is a dedicated and reputed Urologist, Andrologist & Renal Transplant surgeon, highly proficient in kidney stone management and other kidney-related procedures. Having performed around 8k endoscopic surgeries over the last 12 years, Dr. Gupta focuses on delivering advanced and effective kidney care at affordable prices.