Treating Kidney Stone

Aract: An observational study was undertaken with an objective to ascertain the usefulness of predefined homoeopathic medicines in the treatment of renal calculi where size of at least one calculus was 7mm. Such studies may be valuable for the field of homoeopathy. It can help in establishing the role of homoeopathy in surgical like renal calculi where the size of calculus matters.
 
Background:  Renal calculi are common diseases, which endanger human health with an increasing incidence since the early recorded time. Urinary calculi can form anywhere within the urinary tract, the kidney, ureter, or in the bladder and ranges in size and shapes. Both intrinsic and extrinsic factors affect the susceptibility of a population to develop urinary calculi and this varies around the world. The success rate in treating these conditions with conventional therapy is limited and if medical treatment fails, the patient is considered as a candidate for surgery. Though a few case records are documented in the past about the success of homeopathic medicine in treating patients with kidney calculi but size of calculus still a challenge.
Objective: The objective of this paper is to ascertain the role of homeopathy in curing renal calculi size 7mm. As other science believe that calculi up to 5mm. medicine have a scope to replace surgery.
Methods: An open observational study was conducted and this research work was done in the general clinical practice in India. Only cases with positive ultrasonography reports were kept in study. In this work the well-proven homoeopathic medicines were used according to the principles of homoeopathy on the individualization basis.
Results: Cases with at least one calculus 7 mm size, single or multiple calculi treated with homeopathic medicine and follow up was done and ultrasonography was advised.
Conclusion: The result of the study to determine the usefulness of the homoeopathic remedies in the treatment of renal calculi of size 7 mm size although encouraging are preliminary and the final analysis of the data of the multicentre study will help in definitive conclusion.
Key words: kidney calculi; renal calculi; size 7 mm; homoeopathy; individualization
Introduction: Renal calculi is a name with which every one here is familiar. Symptoms of kidney stones    (renal calculi) vary from person to person, but most people experience severe pain. Kidney calculus pain is characterized by its severity. The excruciating pain is usually centralized in the back or sides and sometimes shifts as the calculus moves. During an attack, many patients experience nausea and vomiting. They may observe blood in their urine. About eighty percent of calculi are small enough to be passed without symptoms and there are some patients that have renal calculi but never experience pain. The other twenty percent of calculi make renal calculi one of the most dreaded health conditions. Renal calculi have been plaguing the human race for a long time. Archaeologists have discovered renal calculi along with the human remains in 3,000 year old Egyptian mummies. It is estimated that three percent of the world’s population will suffer from kidney calculi in their lifetime. White American males are the most likely to have kidney calculi, with a 1 in 8 chance. Kidney calculi are the result of crystals that form in urine and they can be of several different compositions. There are three types of calculi that are the most common. The most common type of calculus is the calcium calculus. Seventy to eighty percent of all calculus sufferers have calcium stones. Struvite calculi make up about twelve percent of all kidney calculi. Struvite calculi are made of magnesium ammonium phosphate and are associated with UTI’s (urinary tract infections). These calculi can be especially damaging to the kidney. Ten percent of calculi are made from uric acid which is related to metabolizing protein. These calculi are often pear or diamond in shaped. 
Many factors can make a person susceptible to kidney calculi.  Dehydration makes the urine more concentrated and therefore the patient is more likely to develop calculi.  acidic urine is more likely to form calcium and uric acid calculi, whereas alkaline urine forms Struvite calculi. Diets that are low in fibres and, and high in protein can promote the formation of renal calculi. Uric acid calculi can form when there is too much uric acid in the urine. This can be the result of severe dieting, excessive drinking, and certain illnesses. Fifteen percent of uric acid calculus sufferers have high levels of uric acid in their urine.
Why one should opt for homeopathy in case of renal calculi. We all know that the renal calculi are formed due to the defect in the excretory system i.e. super saturation, physical and chemical factors like initial formation of crystals, reduced effect of normal urinary constituents that inhabits crystal growth and aggregation. So, the removal of the calculus is not the solution to the problem in every case, either by surgery of lithotripsy is same as plucking up all the fruits from a tree. But in the next season the i.e. after some time the calculus will be formed again. As the calculus is not the root cause of the problem but it is the offshoot of the derangement the vital force. But, instead with the homoeopathic treatment the calculus is not only removed from the body but its chances of reformation are also greatly reduced with proper homoeopathic treatment. The selection of remedy is based upon the theory of individualization and symptoms similarity by using holistic approach. This is the only way through which a state of complete health can be regained by removing all the sign and symptoms from which the patient is suffering. The aim of homeopathy is not only to treat renal calculi but to address its underlying cause and individual susceptibility. As far as therapeutic medication is concerned, several well-proved medicines are available for treatment of renal calculi that can be selected on the basis of cause, location, sensation, modalities and extension of the complaints.
Material and Methods:
Study design
An open observational study was conducted and this research work is done in the general clinical practice in India. Only cases with positive ultrasonography reports were kept in study with at least one calculus size 7mm. In this work the well-proven homoeopathic medicines were used according to the principles of homoeopathy on the individualization basis.
Study population
Patient from all age groups and both sexes were kept in this study.
Selection of medicine
In this work, the well-proven homoeopathic medicines were used according to the principles of homoeopathy on the individualization basis. Each patient was administered similimum selected according to the totality of symptoms.
Potency, dose and repetition
All the cases were given single dose of the indicated medicine. One dose consisted of four pills, size 30 followed by placebo. Follow up of the cases and subsequent prescriptions were made following repeated till improvement stopped and the patient was kept on placebo. When improvement stopped the same medicine was repeated in the same potency. When no further improvement lasted for a very short period even after repeating in same potency, Next higher potency of the same medicine was given.
Treatment plan
The treatment plan was based on the severity of the discomfort
1-in discomfort mild to moderate intensity the first phase treatment was given with watchful waiting and giving placebo
2-in case of no improvement, the second phase treatment was given i.e. indicated medicine along with general management
3-General management included:
Foods containing excess calcium oxalate like spinach, tomatoes, radish, mushrooms, excess tea, coffee, chocolates, cheese, pastries, etc. to be minimized. Drink plenty of water, not to control urge for urination.
Outcome assessment
Out come assessment was done by Ultrasonography reports
Result
All the patients of different age groups and both sexes were again advised ultrasonography after treatment, and in all cases there was complete recovery with no calculi. Medicines prescribed in this study- lycopodium, thuja, berberis vulgaris, tabacum, nux vomica, calcarea carbonica, sulphur. Out of twelve cases, lycopodium cured four cases, thuja three cases , berberis vulgaris, tabacum, nux vomica, calcarea carbonica, sulphur one case each.
Table (at entry and end of study)

 
References:
A.K. Gupta, Jaya Gupta, V.A. Siddiqui and Alok Mishra, A big urinary calculus expelled with homoeopathic medicine, Indian Journal of Research in Homoeopathy Vol. 2, No. 4, October-December 2008
About the Author: Dr. Sandeep Kumar Mishra completed his B.H.M.S. and M.D.degree in ‘Repertory’ from the world known institute of India, National Institute of Homoeopathy, Kolkata, at present he is a Homoeopathic consultant in a world famous technical institute, the Indian Institute of Technology. His clinics are named as “The Homoeopathy”