There is a common myth, or misconception, that passing a kidney stone is more painful than childbirth. This comparison is often made to, perhaps, emphasise the severity of kidney stone pain.

Kidney stones, also known as renal calculi or nephrolithiasis, are solid, crystalline mineral deposits that form in the kidneys or other parts of the urinary tract. They can vary in size, from tiny specks to large stones several centimetres in diameter.

Kidney stones are typically composed of minerals and salts that are naturally found in urine, such as calcium, oxalate, uric acid, and cystine.

These minerals can crystallise and clump together, forming solid structures within the kidney. The exact cause of kidney stone formation can vary and may include factors like genetics, diet, dehydration, and certain medical conditions.

When formed in the kidneys, stones may not cause any symptoms until they begin to move within the urinary tract. As they move from the kidneys into the ureters, the thin tubes which allow urine to pass from your kidneys to your bladder, symptoms can result in sudden and severe pain in the back.

There may be blood in the urine and a persistent urge to urinate, sometimes with only a small amount passing. Nausea and vomiting may also occur along with fever and chills if there is an infection associated with the kidney stones. This is when you should consult your GP for a medical assessment.

There are many herbs which can help support normal kidney function on a day-to-day basis.

Gravel root, Eutrochium purpureum, is sometimes known as purple Joe-Pye weed or kidney-root and belongs to the sunflower family. Joe Pye was a native American herbalist who used local plants to cure a variety of illness and had success in treating typhoid fever as well as kidney stones.

For years, it was unknown if Joe Pye was a real person or a botanical myth until research confirmed the plant’s name originated from the nickname of Joseph Shauquethqueat, a Mohican chief who lived in Massachusetts and New York in the 18th and early 19th centuries.

Bitter herbs were also used to treat the kidney such as wormwood (Artemisia annua). The plant looks weird, it tastes weird, and its name could hardly be less appealing, but it is still a plant which is still revered in herbal traditions today. It was historically used to kill worms and parasites and, of course, this is how it got its name.

It is particularly potent as a liver tonic and to treat indigestion and heartburn and was once used for gout and kidney stones due to the active constituent thujone which is toxic in high doses and requires the prescription from a qualified medical herbalist.

The daily use of marshmallow root (Althaea officinalis) as a herbal tonic, either powdered, in a herbal tea form or as a tincture, has been shown to help soothe the kidneys.

The similarity in name between the herb marshmallow and the sweet treat is more than a coincidence, although the modern sugar puff ball no longer bears much relationship to the old-fashioned candy flavored with marshmallow herb which has been used medicinally since ancient Greece.

Today it is used for its large sugar molecules called mucilage which are thought to exert a soothing effect on the kidneys to help ease the pain and inflammation associated with kidney stones.

With summer just around the corner, now is the right time to plant your rows of corn. This summer staple vegetable are a valuable sources of vitamins and minerals and, surprisingly, an important medicinal herb.

When harvesting your crop of corn, or your take-home crop from the supermarket, be sure to save the corn silk, those fine threads you usually throw away, when you open the cob.

Corn silk is used in herbal medicine to help treat the irritation of the kidneys as well as bladder infections. When using fresh corn silk, take a pinch and place it in a mug. Pour hot water over it and leave for fifteen minutes. Strain and drink every morning to keep your waterworks healthy.

Although a course of antibiotics is the first line of treatment in kidney stones, there is a strong history of using herbs to help treat and prevent urinary tract infections, particularly herbs which disinfect and strengthen the urinary tract.