Gout - Ayurvedic / herbal medicines

What is Gout Definition

Gout disease is a kind of arthritis that occurs when uric acid levels builds up in blood and causes joint inflammation. It is also called as Tophaceous gout, Podagra, Gouty arthritis, Hyperuricemia, or Acute gouty arthritis.

Types of Gout

• Acute gout disorder is painful condition that typically affects one joint or smaller joints.
• Chronic gout variety is repeated episodes of pain and inflammation and involve more than one joint.

Causes for Gout

It is clear that when the levels of Uric acids are higher than normal due to many factors, there may be gout. When there is more uric acids and low excretion of uric acids this may lead to gout disease when the too much uric acids collect in the synovial fluid and forms crystals and swelling of joint and inflammation takes place. Though exact cause is not clear, it may run in families and in women after menopause, alcohol drinkers, cigar smokers, medicines such as hydrochlorothiazide may get higher uric acids. Other conditions such as Diabetes, Kidney disease, sickle cell anemia, or other varieties of anemia, leukemia, obesity, and the conditions do occur due medicines as these medicines may interfere in excretion of uric acids from the body.

Symptoms of Gout

Pain is main symptom and especially pain do occur in small joints, big toe and ankle joints which are most affected. Pain may start suddenly with shooting type, throbbing, or excruciating type. Inflammatory symptoms are felt like warmth and redness and tenderness, even with fever.

In chronic gout, there may be recurrent pain and deformity of joints may also occur and stiffness or loss or restrictive movements in joints. Even in extreme cases, there may be lumps in joints and excretion of chalky material may occur.

Diagnosis of Gout

If the Uric acid levels are higher in CBC (blood test), Urine test, and Synovial fluid analysis, and Joint x-rays may confirm gout, and synovial biopsy are helpful diagnostic tools.

Treatment for Gout

• There are many allopath Medicines which has to be consumed on acute or chronic gouty arthritis or gout disorders, and doctors usually suggest non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs and monitoring uric acid levels are necessary. Corticosteroids are also suggested by doctors which may give some side effects.
• The goal of treatment would be to control excess uric acid formation and promote proper excretion by using some medicines like allopurinol or probenecid etc, and to prevent pain and inflammation of joints.
• There will be other complications like tophi, renal stones, which should be treated accordingly.

Ayurvedic Medicine for Gout

Following ayurvedic medicines are helpful such as Chopchinyadi Churna, Baidyanath Vatrina Tablet, Divya MahaYograj Guggulu, Divya Pidantak Kwath, Divya Shilajit Sat, Guduchi Capsules for internal usage. These medicines are helpful for pain and to control uric acids too. For external application you can use Pind Tailam (Oil), Divya Peedantak Ointment which are helpful.

Diet for preventing gout

• If you have habits like smoking or alcohol, that should be avoided, reduce purine-rich foods such as sardines, oils, herring, organ meat, sweetbreads, spinach, asparagus, cauliflower legumes like died beans and peas, gravies, mushrooms, or baking or brewer's yeast and limit meat, and avoid fatty foods, salad dressings, ice cream, fried foods.
  
• In few persons obesity and overweighed individuals do get high uric acid levels and try to reduce weight.
• Eat enough carbohydrates which is also helpful.
• To avoid complications such as Kidney stones, Chronic gouty arthritis, kidney failure, one should monitor their uric acid levels which is very important. Hence one should follow preventive measures.