Gout is a form of arthritis that causes severe pain and inflammation in the joints.  Often, it wakes the sufferer up in the middle of the night with a burning so tender that even moving under a blanket can feel like having your joints pressed in a steam iron.  The affected joints are usually reddened and tender to the touch. 

Clinical Gout Symptoms

Gout usually occurs suddenly, often in the middle of the night.  It is marked by intense joint pain, typically in the big toe, but can also occur in the feet, ankles, knees, hands, and wrists.  The infected joints appear swollen, stiff, and red and are very tender to the touch.  The pain can last anywhere from 5-10 days, then subsides, gradually becoming pain free in about two weeks.  Without proper treatment, gout attacks may reoccur and can cause severe damage to joints and tendons. 

Gout is caused by an accumulation of urate crystals in the joints, inflaming the joint.  Urate crystals are formed due to an overabundance of uric acid in the blood.  Foods high in purines, such as organ meats (i.e. liver, brains, kidneys and sweetbreads), anchovies, herring, asparagus and mushrooms, release uric acid when digested, sometimes causing uric acid levels in the blood to increase.  While increased uric acid levels may not be particularly harmful to most, genetics seem to play a major role in the body’s ability to filter uric acid naturally.  Those whose kidneys do not adequately filter uric acid quickly, can develop gout.

Men age 40-50 seem to be most susceptible to gout, as well as post-menopausal women.  Other factors that increase chances of gout are excess consumption of alcohol, obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, hyperlipidemia and arteriosclerosis.  Some medications such as thiazide diuretics and even low-dose aspirin can increase uric acid levels. 

Gout Symptoms According to Ayurveda

According to Ayruveda, gout symptoms (also called vatarakta) include swedo atyartham na vaa (excess or absence of perspiration), karshnya (blackness), sparshaagyatvam (anaesthesia), shate atiruk (severe pain on injury), sandhi shaithilyam (laxity in joints), aalasyam (lassitude), sadanam (malaise), pidakodgam (appearance of boils), bhedo gurutvam supti kandu (piercing pain, quivering, tearing, heaviness), sandhishu rug bhutva (unstable pain in joints), vaivarnam and mandalotpatt (abnormal complexion and appearance) and numbness and itching in knee, thigh, waist, shoulder, hands, feet and other joints of the body.

Vatarackta is primarily caused by a diet high in foods that are sour, hot, salty, spicy and oily as well as seafood and marsh fish.  Some vegetables such as radishes and herbs such as horse gram are also known triggers of gout as well as sour gruel, curds, buttermilk and some varieties of vinegar.

Some behavioral factors that cause gout are eating incompatible foods, eating during indigestion, anger, extended exposure to the hot sun and sleeping during the day.  Of course, the consumption of alcohol can also disrupt proper natural filtration in the body and trigger gout.

Clinical Remedies of Gout

Regular anti-inflammatory drugs and some muscle relaxants can provide temporary relief from the pain of gout, but they will not alleviate the cause.  Your doctor may prescribe steroids to fight the causes, but these steroids also come with some serious side effects. 

Herbal Remedies of Gout

To avoid the potential harmful side effects of steroids, consider a natural, herbal remedy.  Bissy nut (cola acuminate) has been known to help relieve inflammation in arthritis and gout and is a natural diuretic, stimulating the body in processing the uric acid out of the system.

Ayurveda Remedies of Gout

Bloodletting and leeching are helpful in purifying the body of the toxins causing gout.  Milk enemas are also effective in purging the body.  Some Ayurveda formulations used for the treatment of gout include Guduchi, Punarnava, Manjisth, Yashtimadhu, Mahamanjishthadi kwath, Panchtikta churna and Shilajitwadi vati.  Medicated oil massages and snehana therapies also can work well to treat gout symptoms.

Preventing Gout

Not only are gout symptoms treatable, it can also be preventable.  While there are some genetic causes to gout, the propensity for gout can be alleviated by some simple lifestyle changes.  First and foremost, if you are overweight, see your doctor about starting a weight-loss program.  Second, reduce or even eliminate alcohol consumption.  Third, reduce intake of foods that are high in purines, such as such as organ meats (i.e. liver, brains, kidneys and sweetbreads), anchovies, herring, asparagus and mushrooms.  Fourth, eat low-fat dairy products as well as wheat, green gram, raisins, dark berries (such as cherries and cranberries), tofu, nuts and ginger.

If you are experiencing any of these gout symptoms, talk to your doctor right away to set up a treatment plan.  Remember, gout, when untreated, can lead to joint and tissue damage and even to chronic arthritic conditions.  Get the relief now to prevent recurrences and minimize the pain in your life.