Gout aka Gouty Arthritis is a form of chronic inflammation of the joints (arthritis) categorized by sharp pain, tenderness, and inflammation in joints. At times, we tend to focus on some “important” things in our lives such as money and work, but we tend to forget about the “truly important” aspect of our lives like our health. We need our joints to move about so we can work, take our families out to dinner and even adjust our sleeping positions to make sure we have a more comfortable sleep.

Take a minute to imagine what life would look like if you are not able to move properly or if any little movement you make puts you through a lot of pains. One of the health conditions that can limit movement due to pains in the joint is Gouty Arthritis. Gout has once been called the “rich man’s disease”, “disease of kings” and even the “king of diseases”. If you are suffering from gout, you should know that many historical figures have suffered from this disease. Some of them include Alexander the great, Isaac Newton, Christopher Columbus, King Henry VIII of England and many other important people. It has been associated with overindulgence and gluttony. It is found majorly in developed countries, however, of recent, it’s now found in less-developed countries. We will attempt to answer questions about what causes gout and symptoms, we will give a summary of current medicines used and we will give you some homeopathic, natural treatments for gout.

Cause and symptoms of gout

Gout affects approximately about 3 million people in the United States of America each year. Gout is caused by the excessive buildup of uric acid in the body (this is put in simple terms). Excessive buildup of uric acid can happen either when uric acid is overproduced in the body because of certain disease conditions or dieting habits – or when less than normal uric acid is removed from the body (under-excretion of uric acid) due to kidney malfunctioning. Uric acid is soluble in the body fluids, however, when it becomes too much, it starts to form crystals (i.e. crystalize). One way to demonstrate this is to add some salt to a cup of water and mix until it dissolves. Keep adding more salt to the same cup and mixing. You will soon notice that at some point, the salt will no longer dissolve in water. Instead, you will start seeing crystals of salt. These crystals can be deposited in joints of the body and the kidneys where it can create a lot of problems in these areas. Note that excess uric acid in the body (hyperuricemia) does not always lead to Gouty Arthritis, however. The major symptoms of gout are an intense pain in the joints like the elbow, toes, wrist, knees etc., tenderness in the joints (even a light touch from a piece of paper can cause intense pain) and swelling. Gout can be acute where the attacks happen within a short time, or chronic which happens as a result of Conventional medications normally used to treat gout may include painkillers (like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs – NSAIDs, except aspirin), oral corticosteroids (like prednisolone), colchicine, probenecid, and allopurinol among others.

Natural treatment for gout

Natural medicines can be a very useful adjunct to conventional medicines. There is a limit to conventional medicines in terms of side effects. For example, NSAIDs can aggravate stomach ulcers and colchicine can cause severe diarrhea.  Natural medicines if used properly may give you wider range alternatives with perhaps better outcomes in managing Gouty Arthritis. However, dieting needs to be taken care of in addition to the use of medication or homeopathic medicine. Gout has been associated with overindulgence and gluttony, which is not totally wrong. You have to watch your diet. It is essential that people suffering from gout limit their intake of proteins and fats which can increase the level of uric acid in the body. it is also advisable to avoid alcohol or reduce it as much as possible as it has also been associated with gout. Exercises and the occasional use of ice packs on the painful joints can help with the pain.

Some supplements that can be used as adjuncts include citrus fruits because they are rich in vitamin C. ascorbic acid (vitamin C) increases the levels of calcium carbonate in the body. uric acid thrives in an acidic environment. Vitamin C helps alkalise the urine and facilitates the removal of uric acid from the body. As a plus, it boosts the immune system. Fruits like cranberries, raspberries, purple grapes, blackberries, and blueberries help with Gouty Arthritis too. They have antioxidant effects. Bromelain, celery seed and gravel root can stimulate removal of uric acid. Pine bark and curcumin have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and can help in the management of pain. Other useful supplements and nutrients include watermelon, methylsulfonylmethane (MSM – 3000mg twice daily), baking soda, rosemary oil, cod liver oil, and omega-3 fatty acids.

Homeopathic treatment for gout

In addition to these herbal supplements, there are many homeopathic medicines that can be used for gout. Some of these homeopathic herbs include Rhododendron, Guaiacum, belladonna, and Sabina. Many other valuable plants include hawthorn, ginger, hyssop, devils claw, parsley, spearmint, alfalfa, and Hydrangea. Plants like Colchicum autumnale which is a natural source of colchicine medically used to treat gout can be used (to prevent overdose, do not take this plant with colchicine). Nux vomica can be used for irritations and impatience in gout. Arthritin, Aconite, and Ledum can be used for pain and swelling of joints in Gouty Arthritis.

Some Homeopathic herbs used for gout include Rhododendron, Guaiacum, belladonna, and Sabina. Plants like Colchicum autumnale which is a natural source of colchicine medically used to treat gout can be used (to prevent possible overdose, do not take this plant with colchicine). Nux vomica can be used for irritations and impatience in gout. Arthritin, Aconite, and Ledum can be used for pain and swelling of joints in gout.

Colchicum: This is the plant Colchicum autumnale you can guess the active chemical in the plant – colchicine – a drug already used in clinical practice for gout. It is used for swollen joints, swelling in the big toe (which is typical of gout) and fever

Ledum pal: This can be used to treat pain in the small joints which include those of the toes and fingers. It is also very effective when used with cold compresses.

Arnica can be used for tenderness (pain when a part of the body is touched) which can be quite extreme in Gouty Arthritis. It also helps with bruises and swelling.

Lycopodium is very good in treating chronic gout where a lot of uric acid has been deposited in the joints. This uric acid can form tophi which can be very painful to the joints. It is also useful in the context of urine having reddish sediments, limited ability to pass out urine, and extreme backaches which are characteristic of chronic gout.

Rhododendron treats swelling on the big toe and pain in other joints due to gout which is usually worse in the morning.

Benzoic acid is used in cases where gout is accompanied by foul-smelling urine. It can be used if a person is having stiff joints and pains in the big toe which is characteristic of gout.

Urtica Urens helps flush out uric acid from the body. It also helps in allergies especially in cases of hives, and pain in joints like the ankles and wrists.

In summary, homeopathic therapy can be used alone or as a great addition to conventional therapy (under the guidance of professionals) to give a more holistic and better management of gout and its symptoms. If done with the help of experts, potential overdose or drug-herb interactions can be avoided and combinations which are synergistic and help improve the outcome of gout significantly can be obtained.

For your homeopathic evaluation by Dr. Tsan at the Philadelphia Homeopathic Clinic call (267) 403-3085 or use our online scheduling system