Gout is condition that results from crystals of uric acid depositing in tissues of the body. Gout is characterized by an overload of uric acid in the body and recurring attacks of joint inflammation (arthritis). Chronic gout can lead to deposits of hard lumps of uric acid in and around the joints, decreased kidney function, and kidney stones.

Signs and symptoms

The classic picture is of excruciating, sudden, unexpected, burning pain, swelling, redness, warmness and stiffness in the joint. Low-grade fever may also be present. The patient usually suffers from two sources of pain. The crystals inside the joint cause intense pain whenever the affected area is moved. The inflammation of the tissues around the joint also causes the skin to be swollen, tender and sore if it is even slightly touched. For example, a blanket or even the lightest sheet draping over the affected area could cause extreme pain.
Gout usually attacks the big toe (approximately 75 percent of first attacks); however, it also can affect other joints such as the ankle, heel, instep, knee, wrist, elbow, fingers, and spine. In some cases, the condition may appear in the joints of small toes that have become immobile due to impact injury earlier in life, causing poor blood circulation that leads to gout.
Patients with longstanding hyperuricemia (see below) can have uric acid crystal deposits called tophi (singular: tophus) in other tissues such as the helix of the ear. Uric acid stones can form as one kind of kidney stone in some common occasions.

Causes

The cause of gout is an inflammation in your joint resulting from an accumulation of urate crystals. Uric acid is a waste product formed from the breakdown of purines. These are substances found naturally in your body as well as in certain foods, especially organ meats — such as liver, brains, kidney and sweetbreads — and anchovies, herring, asparagus and mushrooms.
Normally, uric acid dissolves in your blood and passes through your kidneys into your urine. But sometimes your body either produces too much or excretes too little of this acid. In that case, uric acid can build up, forming sharp, needle-like crystals (urate) in a joint or surrounding tissue that cause pain, inflammation and swelling.
Crystal deposits also cause another condition, known as false gout (pseudogout). But rather than being composed of uric acid, pseudogout crystals are made of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate. And while pseudogout can affect the big toe, it’s more likely to attack large joints such as your knees, wrists and ankles.

Risk factors

The following conditions or circumstances can increase the chances you’ll develop high levels of uric acid that may lead to gout:

  • Lifestyle factors. Excess consumption of alcohol is a common lifestyle factor that increases the risk of gout. Excess alcohol generally means more than two drinks a day for men and more than one for women. Gaining 30 pounds or more than your ideal weight during adulthood also increases your risk.
  • Medical conditions. Certain diseases make it more likely that you’ll develop gout. These include untreated high blood pressure (hypertension) and chronic conditions, such as diabetes, high levels of fat and cholesterol in the blood (hyperlipidemia), and narrowing of the arteries (arteriosclerosis).
  • Certain medications. The use of thiazide diuretics — used to treat hypertension — and low-dose aspirin also can increase uric acid levels. So can the use of anti-rejection drugs prescribed for people who have undergone a transplant.
  • Genetics. About one out of five people with gout has a family history of the condition.
  • Age and sex. Gout occurs more often in men than it does in women, primarily because women tend to have lower uric acid levels than men do. After menopause, however, women’s uric acid levels approach those of men. Men also are more likely to develop gout earlier — usually between the ages of 40 and 50 — whereas women generally develop symptoms after menopause.

Traditional Treatment

Traditional treatment is high doses of NSAIDS or indomethacin to kill the pain, anti-inflammatories, and drugs, such as allopurinol, that inhibit formation of uric acid. Allopurinol, however, has some serious side effects, such as skin eruptions, liver toxicity, inflammation of the blood vessels, and possible weakening of kidney function by forcing the kidneys to work too hard to excrete the uric acid. If you have kidney problems and use this drug, be sure to be carefully monitored. Another drug that is used is colchicine, but it, too, has serious side effects, including numbness in the hands and feet, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, weakness, hair loss, and abnormal bleeding or bruising. Cortisone is used for acute attacks, but should not be used for extended periods.
A new gout drug, febuxostat, which is awaiting FDA approval (2005), has proven to be very beneficial in reducing urate levels. 81% of patients taking the drug had healthy urate levels of less than 6 mg/dl, compared with only 39% who took 300 mg per day of allopurinol, the most widely prescribed gout drug.
Your doctor can diagnose whether or not you have gout either through a blood test or by taking some fluid from an affected joint and analyzing it for urate crystals.

Natural Remedies for Gout

Alfalfa

is a good source of minerals and other nutrients that help reduce serum uric acid.

Apple cider vinegar (ACV)

Add some rose hips to vinegar and boil; dab on affected area. You may need to apply this mixture several times a day for a few weeks. The vinegar changes the blood pH so that the crystals will go into solution and be excreted.

  • Mix two teaspoons each of apple cider vinegar and raw honey in a glass of water and drink at mealtime.
  • Soak the foot in a mixture of a cup of ACV and three cups of hot water.

Bilberry

is high in anthocyanosides and flavonoids, which are helpful in overcoming gout.

Black cherry juice

Get some natural, concentrated black cherry juice and drink several tablespoons of the concentrate daily. You should expect relief in 48 hours.

Black cohash

moderates blood acidity.

Blueberries

are high in anti-inflammatory compounds called anthocyanins, which help ease the pain of gout.

Buchu tea

helps dissolve and flush out uric acid crystals.

Castor oil packs

Soak a piece of white flannel in warm castor oil, wring it out and place over the affected area; cover with plastic wrap and apply a heating pad. Do this for one hour twice daily.

Cayenne pepper

Boil one tablespoon of pepper in 1 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water and dab onto the painful joint.

  • Mix cayenne with enough wintergreen oil to make a paste and apply to the affected area.

Celery seeds

These seeds are quite effective in relieving gout by eliminating uric acid from the body. According to James Duke, Ph.D., a medical botanist formerly with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, celery seeds contain about twenty different anti-inflammatory agents. Although there is little scientific research on celery seeds, according to Kerry Bone, a leading expert on herbal remedies in Australia, “it (sic) works brilliantly in patients.” Recommended dosage is 500 mg (standardized to 450 mg of celery seed extract) 2x daily. Note: This remedy is not to be used by pregnant women because of its diuretic effect and the fact that it can encourage uterine contractions, or those with kidney disease because of its potential diuretic effect and that the plant’s oils can worsen kidney inflammation.

  • Cook a tablespoon of celery seeds in two cups of water until they are soft; strain and drink 1/2 cup four times a day.

Charcoal

Take 1 teaspoon of activated charcoal daily.

  • Make a poultice using 1 cup of activated charcoal, 3 tablespoons of ground flaxseed and warm water to draw out the toxins.

Cherries

If you are lucky enough to have fresh cherries, eating 6-8 cherries daily will relieve the symptoms of gout. This remedy was reported in 1950 by Dr. Ludwig W. Blau who cured his own gout. Frozen and canned cherries may also be used. When you feel an attack coming on, eat 20-30 cherries immediately. Cherries are rich in compounds that prevent the destruction of collagen, which the body uses to form connective tissue. The connective tissue is damaged by gout. Cherries also have an enzyme that neutralizes uric acid and are high in anthocyanins which have high antioxidant properties as well as anti-inflammatory action. For greatest effectiveness eat them between meals.

Devil’s claw

reduces uric acid levels and is a natural cleansing agent for toxic impurities. Take 400 mg of the dried extract 3x a day for as long as desired.

DMSO (dimethylsulfoxide)

is very effective in relieving pain and swelling caused by inflammation. It helps dissolve crystalline deposits.

Garlic

Eat several cloves of raw garlic daily. Mince the garlic and add it to black cherry juice for a potent remedy.

Ginger

Put 1/3 cup of ground ginger (buy in bulk to keep the cost down) in a bathtub of water and soak for 30 minutes. This will cause you to sweat (a good thing) which will help eliminate the uric acid from your tissues. When you are finished the bath be sure to rinse off thoroughly, as the ginger can cause skin irritation if it dries on your skin.

Grapes

are high in alkalines which lessen the acidity of uric acid and aid in its elimination from the body.

Hawthorn

is high in anthocyanosides and flavonoids, which are helpful in overcoming gout.

Hydrangea

is an anti-inflammatory.

Ice

Apply an ice pack for ten minutes, then alternate with a moist hot-towel compress, to soothe and numb the pain.

Mullein

Soak mullein leaves in a hot vinegar/water mixture. Pack the leaves on the affected area.

Nettle

contains alkaloids which neutralize uric acid.

Parsley

acts as a natural diuretic.

Quercetin

The flavonoid quercetin inhibits uric acid production in a similar fashion to commonly prescribed drugs for gout. Take 1000 mg of quercetin along with 1,000-1,500 mg of the enzyme bromelain (to enhance absorption) two to three times daily between meals. Bromelain also help reduce the inflammation.

Red clover

has traditionally been one of the standard remedies for gout, as well as removing toxins from the body, and treating psoriasis, eczema, and hot flashes. Studies have shown that red clover may thin the blood, so it should not be used by patients who are also taking an anticoagulant medication. While red clover is high in isoflavones, the reason it is helpful in treating gout has not been studied.

Saffron

neutralizes uric acid buildup.

Spearmint

Make a poultice of spearmint leaves and wrap the affected area.

Strawberries

Eating a cup of strawberries with each meal should bring quick relief. They neutralize uric acid.

Yarrow

Make a tea by using equal parts of yarrow and stinging nettles; strain, cool and drink several cups a day.

Sources: Wikipedia, Mayo Clinic, Health 911

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