Acupuncture Kidney Stone Pain Relief

Acupuncture offers relief for pain from kidney stone (also referred to as Urinary Calculi or Renal Calculus) provided Chinese herbs are also used in treatment.

In developed western countries, the most common cause of kidney pain is kidney stone.

About 70% of people affected with kidney stone are male, and the peak age prevalence is the age group between 30-40 years old.

The most common locations for renal calculus formation are in the kidney itself, in the upper ureter, in the lower ureter near the bladder and in the bladder.

Kidney stone is formed when your urine becomes excessively concentrated with certain substances, which may complex to form small crystals and subsequently stones.

There are various types of stones, mainly calcium oxalate (which is present in 75% of the cases), calcium phosphate, struvite, uric acid and cystine.

If the stone is large enough to block the ureter and stop the flow of urine from the kidney, it must be removed by surgical or radiologic fluoroscopy procedures.

There is a link between family and personal history in those who suffer with kidney stones, so a family history of kidney stone sufferers will contribute to an increased risk of stone formation. However, in some people, stones can be associated with other conditions such as bowel disease, ileal bypass for obesity or renal tubule defects.

Acupuncture and Symptoms and Signs of Kidney Stones

Of all kidney pathologies, the presence of kidney stones causes the most severe pain that can include areas of the body such as the back, flank, and abdominal; with pain manifesting on one or both sides of the body. The pain can also radiate or move down through the pelvis to the groin and genitals such as the testicles in males.

Generally stones may not produce symptoms until they begin to move down the ureter. That’s when pain is reported to move from the kidney and back to the flank region.

Pain is reported to be most severe when the stones move down the ureter, when the stones grate the inner lining of the ureter causing bleeding and pain.

Stones less than 4mm in diameter are usually passed through urination but surgical removal may be required in some cases. Lithotripsy may be an alternative to surgery. Ultra sonic waves or shock waves can be used to break up stones so that they are expelled in the urine.

Pain is progressively severe, colicky or spasm-like; there is painful urination which is frequent and urgent.

In men, painful urination without frequency or urgency may suggest uretritis.

Also present with kidney stones are urinary hesitancy and blood in the urine (hematuria); the latter is an important cause for further investigation.

There are also other non-specific signs and symptoms. Pallor, nausea, vomiting, fever and chills (if complicated with infection) usually accompany the condition. However, it is important for you to look at the colour of the urine, which is usually abnormal in colour. It may be red in colour, tea coloured, brown or cloudy. Relaying that information to your doctor would be very helpful.

What you can do to help yourself

The type of treatment will vary depending on the type and size of the stone and the extent of the blockage, the symptoms and complications that can arise. Keep in mind that hospitalisation may be required if symptoms are very severe.

First of all, the aim is to relieve the pain and presence of symptoms while preventing further symptoms or complicaitons from developing. You should know that…

- Recurrence is common and the risk of recurrence is greater if two or more episodes of kidney stones have occurred.

- About 50% of patients with kidney stone have a recurrent stone within 10 years of presentation.

So here’s what you can do:

- Embrace a healthy lifestyle right away

- Drink a minimum of 3 litres of pure water each day in order to produce at least 2 litres of dilute urine per day.

Look at what you eat. Dietary modification may be needed to reduce the recurrence of some types of stones. For example:

- restrict intake of salt

- Reduce consumption of protein such as meat

- Avoid taking calcium supplements away from meals

- Avoid foods that are rich in oxalate, for example rhubarb

Even with acupuncture treatment, some analgesics may be necessary to relieve pain associated with passing of the stones.

Medications or regular acupuncture and Chinese herbs are necessary to relieve pain and symptoms, help pass the stone and to prevent recurrence.

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