Arteriographic contrast X-Ray of kidneys and aorta
Kidney stones are caused by calcified buildups in the kidneys that sometimes break off and become lodged in the kidneys and urinary tract. Chinese medicine lists several possible causes for kidney stones, all related to the chi. The chi is the natural energy that flows through all living beings. One cause of kidney stones is a damp heat of the chi in the kidney and liver area. A second cause can be chi stagnation in the kidney area. A third type is a chi deficiency in the kidney.
Acupuncture
Because kidney stones are caused by an imbalance in the chi that affects the liver and kidney, acupuncture is a traditional way to re-route the chi to improve the health of both of those areas. Acupuncture can be used to remove blockages of the chi that cause kidney stagnation and to re-route chi to aid in healing the kidneys and encouraging the natural expulsion of the kidney stones.
Herbs
A number of herbs are often helpful for kidney stones. Although these herbs can be taken alone, most are blended into a a treatment balanced for each individual case. Herbs for the treatment of kidney stones include white vanadium, hua shi, radix curcumae root, radix glycyrrhizae root, radix scrophulariae root and lonicerae flower. A number of other herbs are often also used, depending on the condition of the chi and both the liver and kidneys.
Recipes
Traditional Chinese recipes for medical conditions are often complicated and contain ingredients that can be hard to find. However, Leung's Chinese Herbs lists two simple recipes using ingredients that are easy to find. The first is to deep fry 4.4 oz. of walnuts until crisp. Mix the nuts with between 2 and 4 tbsp. of sugar and mash the mixture into a paste. Eat the paste over a day or two.
A second recipe is to grind Job's Tear, or Chinese pearl barley, into a powder. Take 2 tbsp. full with a little sugar followed by plenty of water. Exercise can help speed the passage of the kidney stones. L. B. Hua reports in Zhongguo Zhongyao Zazhi that in 80 percent of cases, stones begin to pass in a couple of weeks.
A recipe listed on the Traditional Chinese Medical Treatment site uses a number of herbs and ingredients that may not be easy to find: lysimachia, plantago seed, cluster mallow fruit, pyrrosia leaf, citron fruit, oriental water plantain rhizome, radish seed, vaccaria seed and rhubarb.
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