Can winter melon relieve urinary stones?

Under normal circumstances, winter melon can assist in alleviating urinary stones to some extent, but it cannot achieve a therapeutic effect. Patients with urinary stones should undergo comprehensive treatment under a doctor's guidance and also pay attention to dietary adjustments and improvements in lifestyle. Analysis is as follows:

Winter melon is a vegetable rich in water, vitamins, and minerals, particularly containing a high amount of water, which provides a diuretic effect. Additionally, winter melon contains dietary fiber, protein, carbohydrates, and small amounts of minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, and iron, along with various vitamins, all of which offer multiple health benefits.

The diuretic effect of winter melon can promote the production and excretion of urine, thereby helping to flush the urinary tract, reduce the retention time of stones in the body, and prevent the formation or enlargement of stones. The dietary fiber in winter melon can enhance intestinal motility and prevent constipation, which helps reduce the absorption of harmful substances by the intestines, thus indirectly alleviating the burden on the urinary system.

Although winter melon has a certain auxiliary role in relieving urinary stones, it should not be consumed in excessive amounts. Overconsumption may lead to other health issues, such as diarrhea. While consuming winter melon, one can combine it with other ingredients beneficial to urinary system health, such as lemon and watermelon, to enhance its diuretic effect. Although winter melon can assist in alleviating urinary stones to some extent, it cannot completely replace other treatment methods. Patients with urinary stones should, according to the size, location of the stones, and the severity of the condition, undergo treatments such as transurethral cystolithotripsy with laser, extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, or flexible ureteroscopic lithotripsy and stone removal under the guidance of a doctor.