Gout

Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine by Patience Paradox

• E-mail
• Print
• Link

Definition

Gout is a form of acute arthritis that causes severe pain and swelling in the joints. It most commonly affects the big toe, but may also affect the heel, ankle, hand, wrist, or elbow. Gout is often a recurring condition. An attack usually comes on suddenly and goes away after 5-10 days. Gout occurs when there are high levels of uric acid circulating in the blood, and the acid crystallizes and settles in the body.

Description

Uric acid is formed in the bloodstream when the body breaks down waste products, mainly those containing purines. Purines can be produced naturally by the body, and they can be ingested from high-purine foods, such as meat. Normally, the kidneys filter uric acid particles out of the blood and excrete it into the urine. If the body produces too much uric acid or the kidneys aren't able to filter enough of it out, there is a buildup of uric acid in the bloodstream. This condition known as hyperuricemia.

Uric acid does not tend to remain dissolved in the bloodstream. Over the course of years, or even decades, hyperuricemia may cause deposits of crystallized uric acid throughout the body. Joints, tendons, ear tips, and kidneys are favored sites. When the immune system becomes alerted to the urate crystals, it mounts an inflammatory response that includes the pain, redness, swelling, and damage to joint tissue that are the hallmarks of an acute gout attack.

The body's uric acid production tends to increase in males during puberty. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that nine out of ten of those suffering from gout are men. Since it can take up to 20 years of hyperuricemia to have gout symptoms, men don't commonly develop gout until reaching their late 30s or early 40s. If a woman does develop gout, typically, it will be later in her life. According to some medical experts, this is because estrogen protects against hyperuricemia. It is not until estrogen levels begin to fall during menopause that urate crystals can begin to accumulate.

Hyperuricemia does not necessarily lead to gout. The tendency to accumulate urate crystals may be due to the inheritance of a hereditary trait or due to being overweight and overindulging in the wrong kinds of food. In addition, regular use of alcohol to excess, the use of diuretics, and the existence of high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood can increase the risk of developing the disease. In some cases, an underlying disease such as lymphoma, leukemia, or hemolytic anemia may also lead to gout.

Causes & symptoms

An acute episode of gout often starts without warning. The needle-like urate crystals may be present in the joints for a long time without causing symptoms. Then, there may be a triggering event such as a stubbed toe, an infection, surgery, stress, fatigue, or even a heavy drinking binge. In many cases, the gout attack begins in the middle of the night. There is intense pain, which usually involves only one joint. Often it is the first joint of the big toe. The inflamed skin over the joint is warm, shiny, and red or purplish, and the pain is often so excruciating that the sufferer cannot tolerate the pressure of bedcovers. The inflammation may be accompanied by a fever.

Acute symptoms of gout usually resolve in about a week, and then disappear altogether for months or years at a time. Eventually, however, the attacks may occur more frequently, last longer, and do more damage. The urate crystals may eventually settle into hard lumps under the skin around the joints, leading to joint deformity and decreased range of motion. These hard lumps, called tophi, may also develop in the kidneys and other internal organs, under the skin of the ears, or at the elbow. People with gout also face a heightened risk of kidney disease, and almost 20% of people with gout develop kidney stones .

Diagnosis

Doctors can diagnose gout based on a physical exam and the patient's description of symptoms. In order to detect hyperuricemia, doctors can administer a blood test to measure serum urate levels. However, high urate levels merely point to the possibility of gout. Many people with hyperuricemia don't have urate crystal deposits. Also, it has been shown that up to 30% of gout sufferers have normal serum urate levels, even at the time of an acute gout attack. The most definitive way to diagnose gout is to take a sample of fluid from an effected joint and test it for the presence of the urate crystals.

Treatment

The symptoms of gout will stop completely a week or so after an acute attack without any intervention. However, it is important to be diagnosed and treated by a health care practitioner in order to avoid attacks of increasing severity in the future and to prevent permanent damage to the joints, kidneys, and other organs. During an acute attack, treatment should focus on relieving pain and inflammation. On an ongoing basis, the focus is on maintaining normal uric acid levels, repairing tissue damage, and promoting tissue healing.

Diet

Generally, gout is unheard of in vegetarians. It is a condition that responds favorably to improvements in diet and nutrition. Recurrent attacks can be avoided by maintaining a healthy weight and limiting the intake of purine-rich foods. A diet high in fiber and low in fat is also recommended. Processed foods should be replaced by complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains. Protein intake should be limited to under 0.8g/kg of body weight per day.

Nutritional supplements

Vitamin E and selenium are recommended to decrease the inflammation and tissue damage caused by the accumulation of urates.

Folic acid has been shown to inhibit xanthine oxidase, the main enzyme in uric acid production. The drug allopurinol (see below) is used for this same purpose in the treatment of gout. The therapeutic use of folic acid for this condition should be prescribed and monitored under the supervision of a heath care practitioner. The recommended dosage range is 400-800 micrograms per day.