A kidney stone refers to a hard mass formed in the ureter and bladder due to the crystallization of minerals and waste substances in urine. They are called vrukkaashmari in Ayurvedic terminology.

Ayurveda believes that an imbalance of vata causes drying of kapha, which, in turn, causes kidney stones. Unhealthy diet and lifestyle causes an aggravation of the doshas and impairs the digestive fire, leading to toxin formation (ama) in the body. The toxins travel down the channel through which urine travels and combines with the aggravated doshas, causing crystallization.

Ayurvedic kidney stone treatment is personalized for each patient for maximum efficacy.

Classification of kidney stones

Ayurveda classifies kidney stones into four categories, depending on colour, cause, and symptoms produced:

• Vatashmari
• Pittashmari
• Kaphashmari
• Shukrashmari

Ayurvedic kidney stone treatment

Depending on the size, location, shape, and strength of the kidney stone, Ayurveda prescribes different ways to combat it:

• small-sized stones can be eliminated through preventive measures and proper food and water.
• Stones larger than a grain of sand can be broken down with Ayurvedic herbs.
• Large stones can be eliminated with flush therapy or invasive surgical procedures.

Special preparations with banana tree trunk, ash gourd juice, coconut flower, and moong help cure kidney stones.

Many treatment modalities have been prescribed to treat kidney stones, among which basti (therapeutic enema) and virechana (therapeutic purgation). Surgical techniques have also been described.

According to Brihatrayis, an early Sanskrit encyclopedia of medicine, one should try oral medicines before attempting surgical interventions. Substances such as ghrita, taila, paniyakshara, and shamanoushadhi should be consumed and procedures like virechana, matrabasti, and uttarabasti should be done. Since the characteristics of ashmari are kathinata, kharatva, and rukshata, the procedure of snehanais important in sampraptivighatana. Its snigdhata, mandaguna, kledaguna, and picchilata helps easily detach ashmari from the roots.

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Snehana

Avapidaka Sneha is an ideal choice for snehana, as described by Vagbhata in AstangaHrudayaSutrasthana. The diseases in adhonaabhigatavata can be relieved by administering ghee in madhyamamatra (a quantity that gets digested within 12 hours) in two doses. The first dose is administered before food and the second dose is administered after digestion of a meal. Administration of ghee in this way is known as avapidakasneha.

Sadhyovirechana

Next, sadhyovirechana is done with trivruttmrudvika rasa to remove the doshas from the root and prevent the recurrence of stones.

Basti treatment for kidney stones

Ayurvedic basti, a form of therapeutic enema, which involves the introduction of herbal concoctions of sesame oil, and certain herbal preparations in a liquid medium into the rectum, helps relieve kidney stones.

Vata is mainly situated in the large intestine, but is also located in the bone tissue (asthi dhatu). The mucus membrane of the colon is associated with the bone tissue. Medication given rectally goes deeper into tissues like bones and relieves vata disorders.

Ayurveda considers basti as half the treatment module because it has the ability to control nearly the entire disease, remove all the doshas, and acts acutely. Charaka describes matrabasti in SidhisthanaSnehavyapadsidhiAdhyaya. Matrabasti is indicated in vatavikara, durbhala, and krusha since it causes dhatu poshana, anulomana, and vatashamana.