Gout & Homeopathy

CAUSES, SYMPTOMS, HOMEO-MANAGEMENT AND PREVENTION

What is Gout/Hyperuricemia?

Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis characterized by sudden onset of severe pain, swelling, redness and tenderness of a bony joint due to increased amount of uric acid in the blood. So, it is also called a disease of metabolic disorder. It is also known as hyperuricemia.

Uric acid is metabolic end-product of purine naturally occurring in many foods like proteins and vegetables such as liver, game meat, sardines, dried beans & peas, mushroom, cabbage, tomato, pulses etc. So, uric acid is a natural waste product of blood.

What are the causes of Gout?

Due to so many reasons, when the amount of uric acid level in blood goes high, gout results. To be more specific, when monosodium urate crystals resulting from excess uric acid are deposited in the tissue of a joint, gout results with excruciating pain, heat, swelling and redness of the joint. By nature, it is essentially an acute disease.

Reasons of high level of uric acid in blood:

1)Too much alcohol intake

2)Genetics (inherited tendency)

3)Hypothyroidism

4)Obesity

5)Psoriasis

6)Much intake of Purine rich diet (vide above)

7)Renal insufficiency – inability of excreting uric acid by kidney [In old age, this is the main cause of increasing uric acid]

What are the signs and symptoms of Gout?

1)Acute pain and swelling of joint

2)Swollen joint is hot and highly tender

3)Inability to move the joint

Generally, big toe is affected in gout; however, any other joint may be affected. One joint is affected at a time. Though essentially an acute disease, it may turn into a chronic affection when a hard nodule is formed beneath the skin.

How are cases of Gout are managed with homeopathy?

General discussion:

In homeopathy there are a lot of medicines that may be used for patients with Gouts, like Causticum, Medorrhinum, Acid fluoric, Mercurius sol., Sulphur, Ledum pal., Ruta grav., Acid nit. etc. depending on totality of signs and symptoms of the case.

Prevention:

Gout is depended on increased level of uric acid in blood. So, if uric acid level in blood is controlled,Gout can be prevented. For this, readers may please consult the sub-menu ‘Control Uric Acid’ under menu ‘General Advices’.

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