Gout is described as sudden and severe pain, swelling, redness and tenderness in the joints, commonly affecting the big toes, ankles, or knees. Joints get inflamed and become warm, tender and appear red and shiny swollen joints even at nights.
What is Gout in a modern perspective?
Uric acid is a normal waste product of our body’s metabolism which is eliminated through urine. Our body produces uric acid when it breaks down ‘purines’ — the substances that are found naturally in the human body. Foods, such as steak, organ meats and seafood, alcoholic beverages, sweetened juices, gravies, liver, sweetbreads, asparagus, beef, cauliflower, lentils, lobster, mushrooms, oatmeal, peas, pork, spinach etc contain high Purines. Over consumption of these purine rich foods is a trigger factor of elevated uric acid and Gout. Therefore, Gout patients should try to avoid these purine-rich food items.
Normally, uric acid which is produced in the body, dissolves in our blood and then passes through kidneys and is eliminated through urine. But sometimes either our body produces too much uric acid, or our kidneys excrete too little uric acid. In an Ayurveda perspective, Pitta body type people produce more uric acid. In about 75% of gout patients, genetic factors contribute to elevated uric acid and gout. Other factors influencing gout manifestations are – Renal failure, certain medicines like diuretics, aspirin, lead poisoning, hyperparathyroidism, Down’s syndrome, alcohol consumption, starvation etc.
When uric acid increases in blood, uric acid can build up, forming sharp, needle-like urate crystals in a joint or surrounding tissue that cause pain, inflammation, and swelling. Sometimes diet modifications alone can treat gout and elevated Uric acid.
What is Gout in an Ayurveda perspective?
Ayurveda use the term Vata Rakta to denote Gout, which is due to the imbalance of Vata and impaired functioning of the Rakta dhatu (blood tissue). More specifically, Gout symptoms are like Pitta dominated Vata Rakta. Excess consumption of salty, sour, pungent tasted foods, alkaline foods; fatty foods, overly hot food, consumption of putrefied or dried meat, meat of aquatic animals and fish, radish, horse gram, black gram (urud dal), grated meat, sugarcane, curd and yoghurt, fermented foods, vinegar, butter milk, alcoholic preparations, incompatible food, eating food before digestion of the previous food, sleeping in the daytime, anger, keeping awake at nights, Indulgence in sweet foods and not having habit of exercise etc. can
lead to Gout as per Ayurveda. Gout was historically known as Rich Man’s disease as only rich could afford meats and wines. Gout may trigger with vaccinations or with traumas and injuries while underlying factor of elevated uric acid and causative factors are there. One may think, why do some people get gout even while having borderline uric acid, and others having very high uric acid do not get gout pains. Resistance by strength of joints and body tissues – termed as Dhatu Saara in Ayurveda – is a result of genetic factors which opposes a disease manifestation.
Do Ayurveda have a treatment for Gout?
Gout is treated as a Vata Pitta imbalance generally. Ayurveda offers several herbs like Gokshura (Tribulus terestris), Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia) and medicines like Kokilasham kashayam, Guduchyadi kashayam, Bruhatyadi kashayam, Cheriya Rasnadi kashayam, Chandraprabha, Gokshura Guggulu, Kaisora Guggulu etc. for effective treatment of elevated uric acid and Gout. An ideal treatment should focus on the underlying causes.
What are the treatments available for Gout in Back to Roots Ayurveda Retreat?
Our Ayurveda retreat in Kerala, focus on a curative strategy, suggests the gout pateints to undergo certain oil therapies and panchakarma treatments for chronic cases and for long- lasting results. We also recommend our patients Rasayana treatment to prevent reoccurances of Gout. Treatments like Elakkizhi, Dhara, Lepam, and panchakarma treatments like Virechana and Vasthy is effective in the treatment of Gout.
Our Ayurveda doctor in Kerala will suggest dietary modifications alongside herbal medications. Crash diets for quick weight loss are not recommended for gour pateints. They should also reduce beer and alcohol, fish, prawns and other seafoods, fermented foods like Dosa, Idly, fermented breads, packeted masalas, mushrooms, spinach, millets, sour vegetables and fruits like oranges, tomatos, urud dal, radish, horse gram, curds and yoghurt etc. Gout patients can favor rice, wheat, barley, yam, bitter gourd, ash gourd, raisins, moong dal etc.
Speak to our Ayurveda Vaidya at below contact numbers to know more details about our treatment approach to Gout.
Doctor Helpline: +918281500177
General Inquiries: +917902710070
