Natural herbal & homeopathic help for people suffering from Gout

Gout
HEALTH HERBS & NUTRITION - REMEDIES - BONES, JOINTS AND MUSCLES - GOUT

· General Description · Symptoms · Causes · Herbal & Homeopathic Remedies · Helpful Dietary Habits · Dos and Don'ts

About Uric Acid

Uric acid is a substance that results from the breakdown of purines (colorless crystalline organic bases containing nitrogen). A normal part of all human tissue, purines are found in many foods. Normally, uric acid is dissolved in the blood and passed through the kidneys into the urine, where it is eliminated.

If there is an increase in the production of uric acid or if the kidneys do not eliminate enough uric acid from the body, levels of it build up in the blood (a condition called hyperuricemia). Hyperuricemia also may result when a person eats too many high-purine foods, such as liver, dried beans and peas, anchovies, and gravies. Hyperuricemia is not a disease, and by itself it is not dangerous. However, if excess uric acid crystals form as a result of hyperuricemia, gout can develop. The crystals form and accumulate in the joint, causing inflammation.

About Gout

Gout is a painful condition that occurs when the bodily waste product uric acid is deposited as needle-like crystals in the joints and/or soft tissues. In the joints, these uric acid crystals cause inflammatory arthritis, which in turn leads to intermittent swelling, redness, heat, pain, and stiffness in the joints.

In many people, gout initially affects the joints of the big toe (a condition called podagra). But many other joints and areas around the joints can be affected in addition to or instead of the big toe. These include the insteps, ankles, heels, knees, wrists, fingers, and elbows. Chalky deposits of uric acid, also known as tophi, can appear as lumps under the skin that surrounds the joints and covers the rim of the ear. Uric acid crystals can also collect in the kidneys and cause kidney stones.

The Four Stages of Gout

Literally translated, arthritis means “joint inflammation.” It refers to more than 100 different diseases that affect the joints. Gout accounts for approximately 5 percent of all cases of arthritis. The disease can progress through four stages:

Asymptomatic (without symptoms) Hyperuricemia: In this stage, a person has elevated levels of uric acid in the blood (hyperuricemia), but no other symptoms. Treatment is usually not required.

Acute Gout or Acute Gouty Arthritis: In this stage, hyperuricemia has caused the deposit of uric acid crystals in joint spaces. This leads to a sudden onset of intense pain and swelling in the joints, which also may be warm and very tender. An acute attack commonly occurs at night and can be triggered by stressful events, alcohol or drugs, or the presence of another illness. Attacks usually subside within 3 to 10 days, even without treatment, and the next attack may not occur for months or even years. Over time, however, attacks can last longer and occur more frequently.

Interval or Intercritical Gout: This is the period between acute attacks. In this stage, a person does not have any symptoms.

Chronic Tophaceous Gout: This is the most disabling stage of gout. It usually develops over a long period, such as 10 years. In this stage, the disease may have caused permanent damage to the affected joints and sometimes to the kidneys. With proper treatment, most people with gout do not progress to this advanced stage.

Gout is sometimes confused with other forms of arthritis because the symptoms – acute and episodic attacks of joint warmth, pain, swelling, and stiffness – can be similar. One form of arthritis often confused with gout is called pseudogout. The pain, swelling, and redness of pseudogout can also come on suddenly and may be severe, closely resembling the symptoms of gout. However, the crystals that irritate the joint are calcium phosphate crystals, not uric acid. Therefore, pseudogout is treated somewhat differently and is not reviewed in this booklet.

Pain relievers such as Tylenol or other more potent analgesics are used to manage pain. Anti-inflammatory agents such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) are used to decrease joint inflammation, but common side effects of NSAIDS include irritation of the gastrointestinal system, stomach ulcers and intestinal problems, and even intestinal bleeding. Corticosteroids, such as prednisone, given in short courses, are powerful anti-inflammatory agents for treating acute gout; yet long-term chronic use of corticosteroids is discouraged because of serious long-term side effects. Probenecid (Benemid) and sulfinpyrazone (Anturane) are medications that are commonly used to decrease uric acid blood levels by increasing the excretion of uric acid into the urine. Since these drugs can cause kidney stones patients with a history of kidney stones should seek other options. Allopurinol (Zyloprim) lowers the blood uric acid level by preventing uric acid production, but medication is used with caution in patients with poor kidney function, as they are at a particular risk of developing side effects, including rash and liver damage.

With proper treatment, most people who have gout are able to control their symptoms and live productive lives. Gout can be treated with one or a combination of therapies. The goals of treatment are to ease the pain associated with acute attacks, to prevent future attacks, and to avoid the formation of tophi and kidney stones. Successful treatment can reduce discomfort caused by the symptoms of gout, as well as long-term damage to the affected joints. Treatment will help to prevent disability due to gout.

Herbal and homeopathic remedies have been used for centuries to treat a number of conditions, including gout.

Homeopathic ingredients like Antimonium crud, Quercus, Rhododendron, Benzoic ac, Silicea (6X), Nux vom & Ledum relieve gout symptoms, including swelling, inflammation and burning pain in small joints, especially the big toe.

Harpagophytum procumbens ('Sengaparile,' 'Devil's Claw' or 'Duiwelsklou') (indigenous to the Kalahari Desert and is exclusive to Africa) has been used for many years to promote joint health and stability. Glucosamine sulphate has been approved for the promotion of joint and cartilage health in more than 70 countries throughout the world, while Boswellia serata extracts address swelling joints, pain and tender tissues naturally, without side effects.

Together, these herbal + homeopathic remedies can:

• Relieve gout symptoms

• Relieve acute burning pains in joints

• Relieve swelling and inflammation, especially in toes and small joints

• Assist the body in reducing uric acid build up in joints

• Are safe for all ages, including pregnant women or those who may be breastfeeding.

• Maintain healthy, mobile joints and muscles

• Keep all joints moving freely

• Support health in large joints as well as small joints of the hands, feet, toes, elbows and knees

• Maintain healthy cartilage and connective tissue

• Maintain comfort levels in all joints