When Kidney Pain Comes Out of Nowhere

When Kidney Pain Comes Out of Nowhere

It was a Tuesday night when Megan first felt it. She was loading the dishwasher after supper while her kids argued over who got the first bath. A dull ache crept in low on her back, just under her ribs.

She blamed the laundry basket. Too much lifting.

By midnight, she wasn't blaming anything. The ache had turned into a sharp, stabbing pain that came in waves. It shot from her back, around her side, and down toward her groin. She couldn't sit. She couldn't lie down. She paced the hallway holding her side, trying not to wake the kids.

Sound familiar? That's what a kidney stone can feel like.

A kidney stone is a small, hard lump that forms when minerals in the urine clump together. Some are as tiny as a grain of sand. Others are the size of a pea, or bigger.

Small stones often pass on their own. But when a stone starts moving down the narrow tube to the bladder, the pain can be fierce. Plenty of moms will tell you it rivals labour.

Common signs include:

• Sharp pain in the back or side, below the ribs

• Pain that spreads to the belly or groin

• Pain that comes and goes in waves

• Pink, red, or brown urine

• Burning when you pee, or needing to go often

• Nausea or vomiting

Some people feel a quieter version too: a heavy, dragging ache in the kidney area that just won't let up.

The Usual Route (and Its Bumps)

At the doctor or the ER, the first step is usually pain relief. That might be an anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen, or for severe pain, an opioid. Some people are also given a drug like tamsulosin to relax the tube so the stone can slide through. Then you drink lots of water and wait.

There's a time and place for these, and they can help. But they come with trade-offs. Anti-inflammatories can upset the stomach, and used often, they can be hard on the very kidneys you're trying to protect. Opioids can bring nausea, constipation, and drowsiness, plus a risk of dependence. Tamsulosin can make you dizzy when you stand up.

Bigger stones may need a procedure, like sound waves to break the stone apart or a scope to pull it out. That can mean bruising, bleeding, a stent, and days of recovery. And none of it changes the fact that many people who have one stone go on to have another.

Meet Berberis (and Its Backup, Belladonna)

The next morning, Megan called a friend who uses homeopathy with her family. Her friend had one name for her: Berberis vulgaris.

Berberis is made from the barberry shrub. It's the remedy I reach for first with kidney pain and kidney stones. I like to think of it as the remedy for pain that wanders.

The classic Berberis pain starts in the kidney and then shoots out, down into the groin, the bladder, or even the thighs. It's often worse with any jarring, like a bumpy car ride or a misstep on the stairs.

How you take it depends on what kind of pain you're dealing with.

⮕ For a dull, dragging ache in the kidneys

• Remedy: Berberis vulgaris mother tincture

• Dose: 10 drops, 2 times a day

⮕ For sharp, "don't talk to me" pain

• Remedy: Berberis vulgaris 30C

• Dose: 1 dose every 30-60 min or every few hours, depending on how intense the pain is

• As things improve: Back off. Space your doses further and further apart, and stop once you're feeling much better.

⮕ If the pain isn't easing after 4 doses of the 30C

Sometimes the pain is just too strong. If you've had 4 doses of Berberis 30C and you're still not getting enough relief, switch to this:

• Remedy: Belladonna 3C or 6C, alternated with Berberis vulgaris mother tincture

• Dose: Take 1 dose every 10 minutes, going back and forth between the two

(Check the label on your remedy to see what 1 dose is. For a mother tincture, it's usually about 10 drops in a little water, taken all at once.)

Be Prepared

I encourage you to find these remedies now and have them on hand, just in case. Preparation is everything.

And I know what you're thinking. "Well, I only have Belladonna 30 or Berberis 30. Can I just use those?" You can use whatever you like. I'm not the boss of you! 😉 But this is what I recommend to my students and clients. So get what you need now, before you need it.

(Quick note: a mother tincture is the original liquid extract of the plant. The 30C, 6C, and 3C are diluted, potentized forms that come as little pellets.)

Megan was in the sharp, pacing kind of pain, so she started the 30C every 30 minutes. After 4 doses, she was still pacing. So she switched to Belladonna 6C, alternating it with Berberis mother tincture every 10 minutes.

Within the hour, the waves were softer and further apart. She spaced out her doses as she improved, kept sipping water, and passed the stone two days later. Now she keeps all three on hand, just in case.

Please get medical help right away if you have:

• A fever or chills along with the pain

• Trouble peeing, or you can't pee at all

• Vomiting that stops you from keeping fluids down

• Pain so severe you can't manage it

• Pain during pregnancy

These can be signs of an infection or a blocked kidney, and that needs care fast. Homeopathy can still support you alongside it.

One Little Bottle, a Lot Less Worry

Kidney stones can turn a normal night upside down. But knowing which remedy to reach for, and how to take it, can make you feel a lot less helpless when the pain hits. Berberis and Belladonna are simple ones to keep in your home kit for you and the people you love. Remember, preparation is everything.

If you're curious to learn more about how homeopathy can support you, your friends, family, and even your pets, we invite you to subscribe to our mailing list. You can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram for daily tips, stories, and community connection.

~Lisa Heinrichs PHom M

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The Author disclaims all liability for any loss or risk, personal or otherwise incurred as a consequence of use of any material in this article. This information is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.