Home Remedies for Kidney Stones

Home care can help small stones pass and ease mild pain after a doctor has confirmed the diagnosis. Severe or complicated stones need medical care.

Drink enough fluids

• Drink water through the day to keep urine pale yellow
• Aim for a urine output of about 2 to 2.5 litres a day, which usually needs 2.5 to 3 litres of fluids, unless your doctor limits fluids
• Drink more in hot weather and with exercise

Pain relief

• A warm compress or a warm bath on the painful side can ease the pain
• Paracetamol or doctor-advised painkillers. Avoid NSAIDs if you have kidney disease, a stomach ulcer or are pregnant, unless your doctor says so.

Stay active

Gentle walking is fine and may help a stone move. Do not overdo it.

Strain your urine

If your doctor advises, strain urine to catch any stone for analysis.

Common popular remedies

• Lemon water adds citrate and fluid, which is helpful as part of fluid intake, but it does not dissolve stones
• Coconut water and barley water add fluid
• Horse gram (kulattha) soup is a traditional food

Do not rely on any single drink or food to cure a stone.

What to avoid

• Heavy beer or alcohol cures
• Large doses of vitamin C or calcium pills
• Unlabelled herbal powders
• Waiting at home with fever, vomiting or no urine

Go to hospital if

Fever, uncontrolled vomiting, very little urine or severe pain. Call 112 in an emergency.

Key point

Plenty of fluids and sensible pain relief are the safe core of home care.

Before your appointment

Note when the pain began, where it is, and whether you have noticed blood, fever, nausea or burning in your urine. Record how much you drink and pass urine in a day. List medicines and supplements, especially vitamin C, vitamin D, calcium and herbal products. Mention previous stones, gout, bowel surgery, urinary infections and family history. Bring earlier scans and reports. If you pass a stone, save it for analysis. Ask about tests, the stone type and a prevention plan. Call 112 for fever with pain or if you pass no urine.