by Fiona Mather

Created on: April 25, 2008   Last Updated: October 11, 2009

Gout is a form of arthritis and can be excruciatingly painful. Gout is the result of a build up of excess uric acid crystals that accumulate in the joint or joints. It is said that gout mostly affects men but women can suffer with it too.

The person with gout cannot excrete enough uric acid, which builds up in the blood stream, hyperuricemia, and may also lead to high levels of uric acid crystals in the urine which could lead to the formation of kidney stones. The classic symptoms of gout are redness, swelling and extreme pain in the big toe. However gout can occur in any joint and even in soft tissue such as ear-lobes!

Pain from gout can be unbearable and sometimes the person experiencing gout can not bare anything touching the area, even a sheet on the big toe can be unbearable. The affected joint can become stiff leading to severe loss of movement within it and recurrent attacks can lead to arthritic changes in the structure of the joints.There is usually acute inflammation, with marked redness on and around the affected joint.Some people have severe inflammation that can extend from the big toe right up to the knee, this is usually preventable by taking anti-inflammatories as soon as an attack starts.

The treatment of gout is-
Painkillers, anti-inflammatories such as NSAID's( Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs ) Anti-inflammatories need to be taken quickly to prevent the condition from worsening.
Other drugs that may be given are Colchicine and Allopurinol.
Colchicine - inhibits deposition of ureate crystals in soft tissues.
Allopurinol - inhibits the synthesis of uric acid.

How to avoid gout - reduce or cut out alcohol, as gout can be the result of a diet rich in protein, of which purines are a break down product, a low purine diet can be beneficial, which will lower uric acid levels. Some foods that are low in purines are - cherries, celery, cheese.

Some foods high in purines are - meat, offal, fish, poultry, alcohol.

It is important to keep the body hydrated, so as to dilute the blood and urine and help the body to excrete the urates. As alcohol and other drinks such as tea and coffee are diuretics it is best to cut down or cut out these beverages.

There is no cure as such, but there are various herbal remedies on the market that profess to help stop attacks of gout. Cherries are thought to contain a compound that inhibits the formation of ureate crystals.

There are also homeopathic remedies that can help stop or reduce the effects of gout. A qualified homeopath can take a detailed history of the person suffering from gout and prescribe a tailored remedy for that person.

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