Gout

Gout is a hereditary metabolic disorder, characterized by recurrent acute attacks of severe inflammation in one or more joints of the extremities. Heat, redness of the skin, and extreme tenderness and pain of the affected joints are symptoms of gout.

Gout results from the excess deposition of uric acid salts, the metabolic end-product of purines normally excreted into the urine, in those joints. This leads to pain, swelling and immobility therein. What leads to this abnormal concentration of the substance in the body is unknown. Attacks may come and go without apparent reason, but there are a number of precipitating factors, including acute infection, emotional upset, diuresis, surgery, trauma, and the administration of certain drugs.

Gout is one of the oldest diseases in medical literature, and is more common in men than women; the male to female ratio is 20:1.

Gout in Ayurvedic Literature

Gout is known as Vata Rakta in Ayurveda. It is commonly found in people with the vata dosha (the air element, representative of a stronger metabolic system). Chiefly, gout is caused by an imbalance in the normal flow of the blood.

How Ayurvedic Principles Will Help You

There is no known treatment for gout, but Ayurvedic techniques can control gout.

The first line of treatment includes avoiding the causes. This includes changing one's diet, a very important step: anything that increases uric acid content, or which is purine-rich, is to be shunned. This includes such foods as yeasts, legumes (peas, dried beans, etc), alcoholic beverages, fish, animal organs (kidneys, liver) and meat extracts (gravies).

Strive instead for dark skinned berries (cherries, which reduce levels of uric acid and minimize inflammation), tofu, foods rich in certain fatty acids (Omega 3), and olive oil. Herbs such as celery, whose alkaline contents neutralize excess acidity, are useful and effective in reducing gout.

Then, compliance with certain procedures such as virechan (purgation), basti (medical enema), and rakta mokshan (blood letting). As a local application, paste made from certain herbs can be used; e.g. Shatavari mula paste, etc. Further treatments for gout will vary from person to person, which is dependent on the educated discretion of the Ayurvedic practitioner. Panchakarma can be very effective in treating gout as well; alternatively, one could also undergo treatments such as Matravasthi.