Gout - World Class Holistic Homeopathy Treatment
Gout – a very small, acute affection of joint causing very big pain. Motion is
life, as
earth do —
Being immovable is more painful than any other.
Gout makes
anyone disabled by crippling or locking the joints with its deposits. Arthritis
is inflammation & pain in joints, which restricts movements. It is one of
the most common sufferings, where the sufferers are made to live with pain
throughout the life. Arthritis may be due to wear & tear mechanism, in case
of age or due to deterioration of the cartilage pads or cartilage tear or
formation of spurs or loss of lubricating fluids or muscle stiffness.
Every one likes to go on Life Miles, with Smiles towards ageing. But the major
fear of life track. for aged persons is disability. Gout is one of that kind,
which affects joints and mind i.e. a type of arthritis which affects persons of
age below 50. It is mainly due to increased uric acid level in the body. Even
though Gout seems to affect small joints, its pain is intolerable.
Gouty arthritis shares 7-9% of total arthritis cases.
Gout
– is a metabolic, degenerative & crystal (monosodium urate) depositing
disease of joints & connective tissues. It is also called as Rich man’s
disease or King’s disease. It is one of the oldest diseases in the medical
world. All the way, we learnt, man gets deviated from nature & gets
diseases, whereas gout has been identified in older days itself, i.e. from the
age of fruits or kings, where fruits are the major natural staple foods for
man. The organic acids in the fruits, forms alkaline carbonates for
alkalization of the body. Our body’s normal PH is 6.5-7.2. Many Nutritionists
says that our food should be more alkaline than acidic. When our body becomes
acidic- arthritis, stiffness, headaches, depression, ulcer stomach, sores, may
occur. For that, alkaline foods like vegetables, juices & raw fruits should
be taken which helps in eliminating toxic wastes.
Incidence
- Males are more
predominantly affected than females.
- Usually 30-50 age
group is more commonly affected
- Mostly people of “O”
blood group and hypertension have increased incidence.
- Gout more commonly
occurs in people who have elevated serum uric acid levels
- Start up usually
follows unusually heavy diet or citrus fruits or its juices or alcohol or
drugs or starvation
- Even though
complaints get aggravated, due to stiffness in cool climates, it attacks
mostly in hot climates.
Pathology
& Progress of the Gout
Uric acid is a waste end product of body
metabolism, which occurs naturally. Uric acid results from the breakdown of
purines, a compound that is found mostly in animal origin foods and human
tissues. It is normally eliminated by kidneys through urine. If it is not
eliminated properly, due to renal damage or excess production, it precipitates
to form crystals and get deposited in the joints and connective tissues. These
deposits can cause injury or abrasions and give rise to inflammation of the
joints, causing pain, swelling, redness and tenderness.
The initial attack mostly occurs in one joint which will be for a week or more.
It will mostly respond to anti-inflammatory type of medicines. Later after a
silent period, it again rebounds within a year or more, but with more
potential. This time it won’t respond easily to anti-inflammatory type of
medicines. Even if it responds, it won’t go away completely. In due course,
flare up occurs in more joints, most frequently and more violently, making the
joint distorted and making the patient disabled.
Causes
The ultimate
cause is unknown. The Main triggers are
- Familial – genetic
predisposition
- Over weight – excess
fat increases uric acid production
- Foods rich in
purines- liver, kidney, sea foods, alcohol.
- Starvation or
fasting- reduction in calories may precipitate the gout
- Multivitamins
therapy especially when containing niacin
- Drugs- diuretics,
hypertensive drugs, anti inflammatory drugs, chemo therapy.
- Trauma
- Stress
The rise in
uric acid may be due to increased production or decreased elimination. The
conditions mostly accompanied with are
- Increased uric acid
level due to elimination defects — Renal failure, Drugs,
Hyperparathyroidism, Down’s syndrome
- Increased uric acid
level due to increased production of uric acids – Food, alcohol, obesity,
diabetes, heart diseases, psoriasis, polycythemia, leukemias.
Types
of Gout
Gout
is classified mainly as primary or secondary gout
Primary Gout – where no other cause can be identified.
Mostly this type are genetic.
Secondary gout – which may be due to high levels of uric
acid, from over production as in case of foods, alcohol, psoriasis, obesity,
diabetes.or reduced elimination of uric acid due to kidney
damage. In
relation to its intensity and period, gout can be further classified as
Acute gout – it is a very active stage of disease, where
hyperuricemia causes deposits of uric acid crystals, in joint spaces which lead
to sudden onset of intense pain and swelling in the joints. It commonly affects
the first metatarsal joint of the foot, but other joints can also be commonly
involved.
Chronic gout – As disease becomes older, the uric acid
crystals deposited inside the joint and in the surrounding soft tissues, lead
to destructive changes in the joint and cause persistent inflammation. Uric
acid crystals deposited in soft tissues are known as ‘tophi.’ These appear as
yellowish deposits under the skin, commonly occur in the fingers or toes,
behind the heels or elbows, edges of the ears, etc. They can also form deposits
in the kidney or urinary tract causing renal stones, in long course of time.
With proper treatment, the disease won’t progress to this advanced stage.
Symptoms of Gout – Initial symptom of pain is usually
followed by swelling, stiffness & restriction of movements. There are two
set of symptoms. They are
Pre
deposit symptoms
- The start up pain
usually subsides within a month and recurs in short or long time.
- Usually it gets
started as acute and severe pain in toes and fingers
- Complaints starts
mostly in single joint (great toe) but can occur in one or more joints
- Other common sites
are knee, ankle and small joints of feet, hands, wrist & elbow. But
the joints of the lower limbs have greater incidence than the upper limbs
- The inflamed joint
is very painful, red, swollen, shiny and hot with dilated veins
- The inflamed joint
cannot be moved or touched.
- Mostly aggravated in
night
- It may be
accompanied with fever with chills, raised ESR, leucocytosis, etc.,
complaints recurs on weeks or months intervals, weakness, fatigue, spasms.
- Sleeplessness
Post
deposit symptoms or Complications
- Persistent
inflammation or recurrent attacks will produce degenerative changes, bony
erosions, cartilage damage, deposition of monosodium bicarbonate crystals
(chalky crystals –named Tophi) in joints, making the joint distorted or
damaged, which are all, on the way to deformities and disability
- Crystals can get
deposited in cartilage of ear, soft tissues & tendon sheath
- Renal stones and
renal failure
- Eczema in the gouty
joints or crystal deposited areas
Diagnosis & Investigations
It is better to evaluate the disease, with the
history of complaints, physical examination and laboratory investigations to
treat the disease, in initial period itself, since every disease responds very
well in initial period. The main diagnostic tools in confirming the Gout are
- Blood tests for
elevated serum uric acid level will mostly disclose the presence of
elevated level in case of gout, but it is not confirmative, since there
are lots of people who have this elevated level, without any symptoms.
Like wise, even though it is mostly elevated in gout, there are
exceptional cases where it seems to be very normal.
- The most
confirmative diagnose is examination of synovial fluid (lubricating fluid
of the joints) * Trace for needle shape uric acid
crystals in synovial fluid
* For the presence of bacteria in synovial fluid
- In advanced cases,
X-ray may show joint distortion, with crystal deposition like crippling or
spurs or erosions
Preventive
measures
Prevention is the best defense against gout
and its complications.
Avoid
- Alcohol – it
increases the uric acid level, by acting as a diuretic.
- Weight loss or
starvation – increases the uric acid level, due to lactic acidosis
- Foods rich in
purines- meat, liver, brain, kidney, cod liver oil, yeast, bread, sauces,
beans, nuts and peas
- Acid foods-
proteins-beans, dairy, fats, poultry, cooked grains, synthetic vitamins
- Diets which have
rich fat content
- Fructose- i.e. fruit
juices which increase uric acid level
- Drugs- Hypertensive
drugs, diuretics.
- Overusing the joints
during pain
Take
- Foods which can be
easily digested and eliminated
- Apples, bananas,
mango, cucumber, garlic which often seems to give betterment
- Low purine diet such
as fruits, breads, grains, cheese, eggs, milk products, sugar, spinach,
green stuff vegetables, salads.
- Folic acid, Vit C
sometimes helps in uric acid elimination. In some cases, it flares up the
condition even with a small piece of lemon or tomato.
- Cherry and
strawberry to neutralize the uric acid level
DOs
- Drink plenty of
water
- Slow movement or
slow exercise to avoid fixation or immobility.
- Warm up the muscles
with exercise
- Rest and elevation
for the part inflammed
- Slowly increase
habit of taking fruits since some cases & theories show that fresh and
ripe grapes, oranges & sour fruits cure the condition after a flare
up.
Treatment
Generally,
Allopathy concentrates on the spot, and mostly treats the inflammatory
conditions and manages the situation. For centuries, the treatment was related
with diet. Some doctors ask the patients, to avoid fruits, and some other asks
to take in plenty. Some doctors frame the life style with less stress, changing
the diuretics drugs & drugs for hypertension with caution. The most
commonly used drugs like anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or Corticosteroids
taken orally or in the form of injection into the affected joint, usually
benumb the pain i.e. these drugs kill only the pain, but the production of the
uric acid or its eliminating defect in the body is not at all interrupted or
altered. If this condition is left untreated, affected joints may get damaged
permanently, causing disability. In most cases, gout does not get treated
properly, unless it occurs frequently and hurts much. Also, Pain killers cannot
be taken by peptic ulcer patients. Sometimes these drugs itself can stir up the
gouty condition.
Homeopathic Approach
Treatment should be aimed at reducing serum urate level & its deposits than
killing the pain. Pain is the indicator of presence of inflammation or uric
acid crystals. If we put off the pain, we cannot judge the proceedings &
presence of the disease. Even though the effect is seen only in great toe, it
affects body wholly (its impact can be seen in other joints, kidneys, soft
tissues, tendon sheaths & skin). Thus for cure, the disease must be
treated, completely in a holistic manner internally, rather than with pain
killers or applications which mask the complaints by causing a benumbing
sensation Gout causes pain in many places. So it is more important to correct
uric acid level i.e. hyperuricaemia, not just relieving the pain or its effects
on the joints.
A piece of pickle or a sip of lime juice or a gulp of tomato soup can
precipitate the condition like oil poured on fire. With mountain of difficulty,
patients take precautions about food and restrict one by one and later
correlate every thing with pain. Supplementation and restriction can work only
for the time being.
The ultimate cause is UNKNOWN. So you cannot attack the enemy who is hiding. We
should get strengthened, to withstand the situation or condition. Homeopathy
protects us, by raising our body immunity. Homeopathy can also surely bring
dramatic effects of cure, since it treats wholly.
Success of the treatment mainly depends upon the early diagnosis & early
treatment. Since later on structural damage will occur with deposits. Usually
functional damages can be corrected fully, whereas structural changes cannot be
cured completely, & can only be managed. So, it is better to treat Gout on
initial attack itself, otherwise it will take much time to eliminate it, from
its root. The symptoms of gout usually wax and wane. Improvement on homeopathy
treatment will be in a slow manner. Have patience, to get relief or be a
life-long patient. So, for a safer & long-time protection, opt for
homeopathy. Homeopathy shall provide complete cure for gout.
The results of homoeopathy treatment through my experiences in gout cases are
far superior, to usual way of treatment with other system of medicines. The
homeopathic medicines commonly used in cases of Gout are Aconite, Benzoic acid,
Belladonna, Beri beri vul, Bryonia, Causticum, Cimicifuga, Colchicum, Kalmia,
Ledum, Lithium carb, Lycopodium, Phosphorus, Rhus tox, Tarentula, Pulsatilla
Urtica urens. These medicines should be taken under the advice and diagnosis of
a Qualified Homoeopath.
for
new hope
Dr. S. Chidambaranathan, BHMS, MD (Homeo)
Laxmi Homeo Clinic
24 E. New Mahalipatti Road
Madurai, TN 625 001
India
Tel: +91-984-319-1011 (Mob /
Whatsapp)
Clinic : +91-452-233-8833 |
E-mail: drcheena@gmail.com
(Disclaimer -
The contents of this column are for informational purpose only. The content is
not intended to be a substitute for professional healthcare advice, diagnosis,
or treatment. Always seek the advice of healthcare professional for any health
problem or medical condition.)