Gout is a common joint disease. It is caused due crystallization and deposition of uric acid in the affected joint due to inflammation.
It is a type of arthritis that usually involves the great toe. It causes swelling, stiffness and intense pain in the affected joint.
A gout attack comes suddenly. It keeps repeating from time to time. It slowly affects the joint internally, causing damage to the tissues resulting in intense pain and discomfort.
Men are more affected by this inflammatory joint disease, i.e., gout, as compared to women. Women become prone to gout after menopause.
Gout Types
Gout presents different symptoms at different stages of its development. Let’s take a look at them one by one.
Asymptomatic Hyperuricemia
When a person is having high uric acid levels than normal count but is not experiencing any symptoms of gout,
then it is known as asymptomatic hyperuricemia.
In this condition, the uric acid crystals get deposited in the joint. It starts damaging the tissues slowly.
One may not require treatment at this stage, but One should follow lifestyle modifications.
It is to prevent further damage to joints.
Acute Gout
It is also known as “flare.”
This refers to when the urate crystals deposit in the joint causes sudden and intense attack of pain.
This attack will come and go on its own in three to ten days. It can be triggered by stress, cold weather, alcohol etc.
Intercritical Gout
This is the time in between two attacks of gout. In this period, the urate crystals are getting deposited in the joints.
This stage can be of few months to few years. If the correct treatment is not started on time, gout attacks become more frequent.
Chronic Tophaceous Gout
Chronic tophaceous gout is the condition when permanent damage has taken place in the joints and kidneys.
The patient develops lumps in the joints such as fingers of hands and toes. These lumps are formed of urate crystals known as tophi.
If the patient starts treatment at the right time, then he may not reach this stage of gout. Even without treatment, it takes about ten years to develop chronic tophaceous gout.
Pseudogout
Pseudogout is a condition similar to gout.
Here, the attacks or flare-ups are not much severe. This condition is usually confused with gout.
The difference between gout and pseudogout is that in pseudogout, calcium pyrophosphate crystals are deposited in the joints instead of urate crystals.
The treatments for pseudogout and gout are different.
Gout Causes
Gout is mainly caused by an increased amount of uric acid in the blood.
Uric acid is formed in the body when your body breaks down a chemical known as purines.
These purines are naturally found in the body.
It is also present in high amounts in foods, for example, red meat, drinks like cola, shellfish etc.
Usually, uric acid is removed from the body through the kidneys via urine. Sometimes, when excessive uric acid is produced, it starts forming crystals. These crystals get deposited in the joints and cause symptoms like swelling and pain.
Gout Symptoms
The gout attacks are very sudden and unalarming. It may occur in the middle of the night with any previous sign.
The affected joint becomes swollen, red, painful and extremely discomforting.
Gout mainly involves joints like the great toe. But it can also affect your ankles, knee, elbow, wrists and fingers.
The character of pain is highly intensified and excruciating.
Recurrent gout can cause permanent damage to the joints and lead to tophi formations.
Increased uric acid in the blood may cause kidney stones.
Risk Factors For Gout
Let’s take a look at several factors that can put you at risk of developing gout.
• Age
The older age group is more likely to develop gout than young adults.
• Gender
Men are prone to get affected by gout than women. Menopausal women are at more risk than non-menopausal women.
• Family History
Having a family history of gout can put you at more risk than people who do not have a family history.
• Certain Medications
Several medicines are related to the cause of gout, such as some kind of diuretics.
• Lifestyle Choices
Consuming alcohol and a high purine-containing diet can lower your body’s natural ability to remove uric acid from the blood.
• Uncontrolled Bodyweight
Overweight people are at higher risk. More fats mean more production of uric acid as the body’s waste.
• Chronic Lead exposure
• Recent Trauma Or Surgery
• Other Medical Conditions
The presence of other medical illnesses such as kidney problems, high blood pressure or diabetes makes a person more prone to get affected by gout.
Diagnosis Of Gout
Your doctor can diagnose gout after listening to your symptoms. He will make a diagnosis based on the appearance of the affected joint.
However, to confirm the disease, some tests may be advised.
• Blood Test
A blood test will evaluate the amount of uric acid in the blood.
An elevated uric acid indicates gout.
Some people may experience gout symptoms without an increase in uric acid levels.
And some may have increased uric acid and still no symptoms of gout.
• Xray Imaging
It will help to rule out other causes of joint inflammation. It also helps to determine the extent of damage in the affected joints.
• Ultrasound
This test helps to determine the deposits of urate crystals in the tophi.
• Joint Fluid Test
A needle is used to draw fluid from the affected joint. You can examine urate crystals in the liquid under microscopic study.
Management Of Gout
Here are some lifestyle management tips to prevent the worsening of gout symptoms and attacks. You can follow them to lead a healthy life.
• Avoid High Purine Containing foods
Red meat, organ meat, seafood contain high purine content. People suffering from gout should avoid consuming them.
Low-fat dairy products can be a good choice for you.
• Weight Management
Exercise daily to maintain a healthy weight and body. Walking, bicycling, swimming can help.
• Drink Water
Increase your water intake up to 3 liters per day. one must avoid beverages such as alcohol.
Best Homoeopathic Medicines For Gout
The conventional line of treatment only aims at control of symptoms, but homeopathy aims at cure.
Homeopathy is a science that doesn’t focus only on illness and symptoms but also on the patient. So after the complete detailed history of present and past disease and considering the family illness, a drug is prescribed per the patient’s state.
Duration of treatment would vary from person to person depending upon several categories like age of the patient, state of the patient, severity of the illness, etc.
Lets explore the most important homeopathic medicines which works like wonder in case of gout –
1. ARNICA: For Gout With Great Fear Of Being Touched
Symptoms–
Arnica is a very widely used Homoeopathic medicine for different complain of joints and pain.
The patient is fearful of being touched or approached. It increases his pain and suffering. The character of pain is like bruised or beaten.
The joints feel sprained or dislocated. One of the characteristic features of Arnica’s patient is that everything on which he lies seems too hard. He cannot walk erect.
The lower joints are first involved, followed by pain and swelling in the upper joints.
The pain, swelling and redness become worse by touch or damp cold weather. The patient feels better by lying down.
Potency And Dosage:
Use Arnica in 1M potency, four pills or drops once daily for one week. One can also use Arnica in 200ch potency, four pills or drops thrice daily till improvement occurs.
2. BRYONIA: For Gout Worse On Any Motion
Symptoms-
Bryonia is a top-grade Homoeopathic remedy for the treatment of gout. The affected joint is stiff and painful. The joint is hot, swollen and red.
The character of pain is tearing and itching. One of the main indications for selecting Bryonia for gout is that the symptoms worsen any motion. The patient is better by rest.
The symptoms become worse in the morning, in hot weather, by exertion or touch.
The patient cannot sit up in the morning; he gets faint and sick.
The symptoms are better by lying on the painful side, pressure and rest.
Potency And Dosage:
Use Bryonia in 1M potency, four pills or drops once daily for one week. One can also use Bryonia in 200ch potency, four pills or drops thrice daily till improvement occurs. Bryonia in 30ch potency can be used as four pills or drops four times a day till improvement occurs.
3. BENZOIC ACID: For Chronic Tophaceous Gout
Symptoms–
Another tremendous Homoeopathic remedy for the treatment of gout with tophi formations
or joint shape destructions.
It can treat joints that produce a cracking sound in motion. The affected joint is hot to the touch, painful, red and swollen.
The character of pain is tearing and stitching. It can treat pain in the ankle joint due to gout.
The affected joint has gouty deposits.
Wrists and knees can be involved. This is a very beneficial remedy for gout involving the great toe.
Potency And Dosage:
Use Benzoic Acid in 200ch potency, four pills or drops twice daily till improvement occurs.
One can also use Benzoic Acid in 30ch potency, four pills or drops thrice daily till improvement occurs.
4. COLCHICUM: For Gout Affecting Great Toe
Symptoms–
Colchicum is a well-known Homoeopathic remedy for the treatment of gout. The great toe is usually involved. The joint is red, hot, swollen and painful to touch.
The character of pain is tearing and stinging. The patient feels as if there are pins and needles in the hands and wrists.
The pain becomes worse in the evening and in warm weather. The great toe is inflamed, gouty deposits in the heel. The patient cannot bear movement or touch in the affected area. The legs and feet are swollen.
Potency And Dosage:
Use Colchicum 200ch, four pills or drops twice daily for a month. One can also use Colchicum 30ch, four pills or drops thrice daily till improvement occurs. Colchicum 1M can be used as four pills or drops, once every alternate day.
5. LEDUM PAL: For Gouty Pains In Foot
Symptoms–
Another excellent remedy for gout occurring, especially in the small joints of the foot.
The gouty pains shoot all through the foot and joints. The joints become red, hot, swollen and extremely discomforting.
The ankles are swollen. The patient says that his soles are very painful; he can hardly step on them. Easy spraining of ankles can be treated by this remedy.
Potency And Dosage:
Use Ledum pal in 1M potency, four pills or drops once every week. One can also use Ledum pal in 200ch potency, four pills or drops once daily till improvement occurs. Ledum pal 30ch can be used as four pills or drops thrice daily till improvement occurs.
6. CAUSTICUM: For Gout Affecting Elbow Joint
Symptoms–
Causticum is a helpful remedy for reducing uric acid levels in the blood. The affected joints feel heavy and weak. The patient complains of tearing pain in joints.
His ankles are weak, cannot walk without suffering. The complaints are better by warmth. The walk of the Causticum patient is unsteady. The knees produce a crackling sound on the motion.
The patient becomes restless due to gouty pains. His symptoms are better in damp, wet weather or warmth. Cold weather makes his symptoms worse.
Potency And Dosage:
Use Causticum in 1M potency, four pills or drops once every alternate day. Causticum in 30ch potency can be used as four pills or drops thrice daily till improvement occurs.
7. RHUS TOX: For Hot, Painful And Swollen Joints
Symptoms-
Rhus Tox is a very beneficial remedy for muscle and joints problems. It can be used to treat gout with hot and painful joints.
One of the main indications for using Rhus Tox is that the symptoms are better by motion and worse by rest. The knee joint is tender, red and hot to touch.
The patient complains of a crawling sensation in the tips of fingers. He experiences a tingling sensation in his feet.
The gout symptoms of the patient become worse in wet, rainy weather. The complaints are relieved by warmth and motion.
Potency And Dosage:
Use Rhus Tox in 1M potency, four pills or drops once every alternate day for 15-20 days. One can also use Rhus Tox in 200ch potency, once daily till improvement occurs.
Rhus Tox in 30ch potency can be used as four pills or drops thrice daily till improvement occurs.
8. CALCAREA PHOS: For Gout With Weak Joints
Symptoms-
Calcarea Phos is also used as a calcium supplement in Homoeopathy. It can treat several joint complaints occurring at any age.
It is beneficial for children to old age group. For gout, it is given when the joints become stiff with a cold and numb feeling.
Pain occurs in joints and bones. The patient is unable to walk on stairs due to pain in joints.
Any change of weather makes the symptoms worse. The affected joint is very painful, swollen and discomforting.
Potency And Dosage:
For best results, use Calcarea Phos in 6x potency, four tablets four times a day.
One can also use Calcarea Phos in 1M potency, four pills or drops once every alternate day for 15-20 days.
9. ACTEA SPICATA: For Gout Affecting Small Joints
Symptoms–
Actea Spicata is helpful for patients who suffer from gout, especially in the
small joints. The character of pain is tearing. Fingers, ankles, toes are involved. The uric acid levels are high in the blood.
The patient complains of swollen, red and painful wrists.
The symptoms become worse on movement. There are tingling pains in the joints.
Potency And Dosage:
Use Actea Spicata in 30ch potency, four pills or drops thrice daily till improvement. One can also use Actea Spicata in 200ch potency, four pills or drops once daily till improvement occurs.
10. RUTA GRAVEOLENS: For Gout With Tophi Formations
Symptoms–
Another important Homoeopathic healing agent for the patients of gout.
Ruta Graveolens can be used to treat the disfigured joints due to tophi formations in gout.
It has a particular affinity for ankle joints.
The ankle joint is swollen and extremely painful. The pain occurs in the bones of the feet and ankles.
The patient becomes restless due to the symptoms. The uric acid levels in the blood are raised.
Ruta Graveolens can treat shooting pains in the joints due to gouty nodosities.
Potency And Dosage:
For best results, use Ruta Graveolens in 200ch potency, four pills or drops thrice daily for 15-20 days. One can also use Ruta Graveolens in Q potency (mother tincture) for local application. Take 10-20 drops of Ruta Graveolens mother tincture and apply it on the affected area with the help of cotton.
11. CALCAREA FLUORICA: For Gouty Enlargements Of The Joints
Symptoms–
Calcarea Flour is beneficial in dissolving hard gouty nodosities or tophi. It can treat the disfigurement of the joints due to gout.
It acts by dissolving the extra uric acid deposits in the joints. The patient complained of stiff and contracted joints. He complains of a hard and stinging sensation in the affected joint.
Calcarea Flour can treat the gouty enlargements of the joints of the fingers. It is helpful for the treatment of chronic tophaceous gout.
The symptoms are worse by rest, any changes in the weather. The suffering is better by warm application.
Potency And Dosage:
For best results, use Calcarea Flour in 6x potency (bio-chemic potency), four tablets four times a day. One can also use Calcarea Flour in 1M potency, four pills or drops every alternate day for 15-20 days.
1 thought on “Homeopathy for Gout – Types, Causes, Symptoms & Medicines”
Very good mam thanks for sharing these medicines…