Kidney Stones

In Western medicine, kidney stones are hard mineral and salt deposits forming in the kidneys, with four primary types identified: Calcium oxalate, Uric acid, Struvite, and Cystine stones (Scales et al., 2016, "Prevalence of Kidney Stones in the United States," European Urology). Each type arises from distinct biochemical pathways, such as the interaction between calcium and oxalate or the metabolic breakdown of purines in foods. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), kidney stones are perceived through a lens of energetic disharmony. One contributing factor is the accumulation of phlegm in the kidneys and gallbladder, which TCM considers to be a form of condensed moisture or "dampness" affected by heat (Xu et al., 2017, "Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Treatment of Kidney Stones"). The other etiological pattern involves a Kidney Yang deficiency, leading to internal cold and weakening, impairing the body's transformation of fluids. These two perspectives offer a multidisciplinary approach to understanding and treating kidney stones.