Disease Index

Homeopathy for Gout

homeopathic remedies for gout pain
Written by Dr. Manisha Bhatia

Primary gout is typically seen in men aged 40-60, and the incidence is rising. Gout symptoms are now found increasingly in women, too, as diuretic drugs are prescribed to more middle aged and older women with high blood pressure. Lead poisoning was a major cause of gout in the past, but it is much less common now.

What is Gout?

Gout can occur to anyone, irrespective of age or sex, when the level of uric acid or, rather, sodium urate in their blood rises above its ‘solubility limit’ so that crystals form in the body.

Primary gout is typically seen in men aged 40-60, and the incidence is rising, as our Western lifestyle leads to more obesity, heavier drinking and higher blood pressure. Gout symptoms are now found increasingly in women, too, as diuretic drugs are prescribed to more middle aged and older women with high blood pressure.

Gout symptoms may also be seen in people recovering from surgery or other stressful episodes, and gout is a possible complication of chemotherapy for cancer. Lead poisoning was a major cause of gout in the past, but it is much less common now.

What is uric acid?

Uric acid is an end-product – the last chemical in a chain of steps that break down the purines from the genetic material (DNA and RNA) and the related chemical ATP which supplies energy within all our cells.

These purine breakdown products are released into the blood from our cells as they die and are replaced, and purines are also released from food as it is digested.

In the blood, 99 percent of uric acid is in the form of the more soluble sodium urate. However, in urine, which has a wide range of acidity, the ratio of uric acid to urate varies, and it is almost entirely uric acid when the urine is very acidic.

Thus, uric acid crystals and stones may also develop in the kidneys, leading to decline in their efficiency.

Complications of Gout

  • Cardiovascular lesions
  • Chronic renal dysfunction
  • Coronary thrombosis
  • Hypertension
  • Atherosclerotic disease
  • Stroke
  • Infection (when tophi rupture)
  • Nephrolithiasis
  • Joint degeneration and deformity

Pathophysiology of gout

homeopathy for gout pain swellingWhen uric acid becomes supersaturated in blood and other body fluids, it crystallizes and forms a precipitate of urate salts that accumulate in connective tissue throughout the body; these deposits are called tophi.

The presence of the crystals triggers an acute inflammatory response when neutrophils begin to ingest the crystals. Tissue damage begins when the neutrophils release their lysosomes. The lysosomes not only damage the tissue, but also perpetuate the inflammation.

Diagnosis of gout

  • Aspiration of synovial fluid (arthrocentesis) or of tophaceous material reveals needle-like intracellular crystals of sodium urate.
  • Monosodium urate monohydrate crystals in synovial fluid taken from an inflamed joint or tophus establishes the diagnosis.
  • Serum uric acid is above normal, although hyperuricemia isn’t specifically diagnostic of gout.
  • X-rays are normal initially; however, in chronic gout, X-rays show “punched out” erosions, sometimes with periosteal overgrowth. Outward displacement of the overhanging margin from the bone contour characterizes gout.
  • Urinary uric acid is usually higher in secondary gout than in primary gout.
  • Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and white blood cell (WBC) count may be elevated, and the WBC count differential shows increased immature neutrophils (bands) in acute attacks.

Signs and Symptoms of Gout

Gout develops in four stages; asymptomatic, acute, inter-critical, and chronic. Assessment findings vary with the stage. In asymptomatic gout, serum urate levels rise.

The first attack of acute gout is extremely painful, peaks quickly, and generally involves only one or a few joints that become hot, tender, inflamed, and appear dusky-red or cyanotic. The metatarsophalangeal joint of the great toe usually becomes inflamed first, followed by the instep, ankle, heel, knee, or wrist joints. Sometimes, a low-grade fever is present. If the attack is mild, symptoms may subside quickly but recur at regular intervals; if severe, symptoms may persist for days or weeks.

Inter-critical periods are the symptom-free intervals between gout attacks. Most patients have a second attack within 6 months to 2 years, but in some the second attack doesn’t occur for 5 to 10 years. Delayed attacks are more common in untreated patients and tend to be longer and more severe than initial attacks. Such attacks are also polyarticular, invariably affecting joints in the feet and legs and sometimes accompanied by fever.

Chronic gout is marked by persistent, painful polyarthritis, with large, subcutaneous tophi in cartilage, synovial membranes, tendons, and soft tissue. Tophi form in fingers, hands, knees, feet, ulnar sides of the forearms, helix of the ear, Achilles tendons and, rarely, internal organs, such as the kidneys and myocardium. The skin over the tophus may ulcerate and release a chalky, white exudates or pus.

Treatment of Gout

In conventional (allopathic) medicine, the treatment of gout includes:

  • Maintenance dosage of allopurinol may be given to suppress uric acid formation or control uric acid levels, preventing further attacks (use cautiously in the patient with renal failure).
  • Colchicines is given to prevent recurrent acute attacks until uric acid returns to its normal level (doesn’t affect uric acid level). It’s effective in reducing pain, swelling, and inflammation in acute attacks. Other effective therapies include bed rest; immobilization and protection of the inflamed, painful joints; local application of heat or cold; and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
  • Uricosuric agents promote uric acid excretion and inhibit accumulation of uric acid, but their value is limited in patients with renal impairment.
  • Obese patients should try to lose weight because obesity puts additional stress on painful joints.
  • Dietary restrictions include the avoidance of alcohol and purine rich foods, such as organ meats, beer, wine, and certain types of fish.
  • Surgery may be necessary in some cases to improve joint function or correct deformities and to excise and drain infected or ulcerated tophi.
  • Oral corticosteroids or an intra-articular corticosteroid injection may be ordered to relieve pain due to resistant inflammation.

Special considerations

  • Encourage bed rest but use a bed cradle to keep bedcovers off extremely sensitive, inflamed joints.
  • Apply hot or cold packs to inflamed joints according to what the patient finds effective.
  • Give pain medication, as needed, especially during acute attacks.
  • Administer anti-inflammatory medication and other medications, as ordered.
  • Monitor for adverse effects of medications. Be alert for GI disturbance with colchicines.
  • Watch for acute gout attacks 24 to 96 hours after surgery, because even minor surgery can precipitate an attack. Before and after surgery, administer colchicines as ordered, to help prevent gout attacks.
  • Provide patients education.

Homeopathic treatment of Gout

Homeopathy is one of the most popular holistic systems of medicine. The selection of remedy is based upon the theory of individualization and symptoms similarity by using holistic approach.

This is the only way through which a state of complete health can be regained by removing all the sign and symptoms from which the patient is suffering.

The aim of homeopathy is not only to treat gout but to address its underlying cause and individual susceptibility. As far as therapeutic medication is concerned, several remedies are available for gout which can be selected on the basis of cause, location, sensation, modalities and extension of the complaints.

For individualized remedy selection and treatment, the patient should consult a qualified homeopathic doctor in person. Some important gout remedies are given below which are much helpful in homeopathic treatment of gout symptoms:

  • Bryonia alba – pain with inflammation, which is aggravated by movement and relieved by moderate pressure and rest. There is inflammation of joints which are hot and swollen. The patient feels chilly.
  • Ledum pal. – Remarkable remedy helpful in treatment of osteoarthritis, gout and rheumatism, which is of ascending nature, better by cold application, there is deposition of chalk stones in finger joints, wrists and toes. Irritable patient with desire to be alone. Pain may be caused by alcoholism, insect stings, and punctured wound. Pain worse by warm applications.
  • Colchicum – A general remedy for gout. There may be aversion to smell of food as soon as served. Swelling of joints which may be red or pale. Abdomen bloated with wind. Albumin in urine which becomes black like ink, scanty urine with dropsical swelling, marked irritability from pains or odors. Worse by motion, touch or mental effort. Better by warmth, rest or sitting. Gout and rheumatism in smokers.
  • Guaiacum. – Rheumatic and gout engrafted on syphilitic or tubercular constitutions. Sore swollen joints more painful from warmth and motion. Gouty abscesses of joints. The leg and ankle bones are especially affected shooting pain in legs from feet to knees. Pains in tibia. Better by cold bath and cold application.
  • Formic Acid and Formica – gouty and rheumatic pains due to urates and albumin in urine. Inflammation of joints which are very painful. They are worse on motion, by cold or before storm; better on pressure.
  • Lithium carb – chronic rheumatism due to uric acid. Palpitation and shocks about the heart the heart. Painfulness of the soles of feet and small joints with a sense of burning therein.
  • Kali carb – pains stitching, stabbing and burning character relieved temporarily by cold application and not by rest or motion. The patient shrieks on account of pain. Backache accompanied by great weakness and profuse sweating. If he covers the painful part, the pain goes to the uncovered part. Aggravation after eating and uncovering.
  • Sticta pulmonaria – right shoulder blade or joint, wrist joint, ankle joint and knee joint are mainly affected. It also reduces fluid in the joints.
  • Berberis vulgaris – pain in heels relieved by putting most of the weight on them. Arthritic and rheumatic affection if attended by renal sticking pain and backache. This urine of this remedy corresponds to many cases of gout, yet it will be rarely indicated unless the characteristic tearing cutting pains are present. These pains are in the renal region and extend down the ureters to the bladder or into pelvis and hips. The urine is hot, dark or bright yellow or blood red, with white, grayish or bright red mealy sediment, or red granules, or yellowish red crystals.
  • Chelidonium – rheumatism with edema, heat, tenderness and stiffness. Constipation and whitish stools. Pain is aggravated by slightest movement or touch. The only relief is constant bathing with hot water.
  • Asclepius tub – Acts well in cases of osteoarthritis when pains run diagonally.
  • Calcarea carb. – Arthritic swelling, knee pain especially in fleshy people which is worse by cold.
  • Lycopodium – When red sand appears in the urine, our first thoughts is for Lycopodium, and indeed it will clear up many cases of gout. Its general digestive disturbances, flatulent conditions are often met with in gout. Particularly is it indicated by its scanty, high-colored urine depositing a red or yellowish red sandy sediment. It has severe backache relieved by passing urine. Burning between scapulae, and the 4 to 8 P.M. aggravations are useful characteristics to decide the choice of this remedy.
  • Sepia – This remedy must not be neglected in gout treatment. It has a deposit of urates in the urine and of uric acid. Then, too, the general symptoms of venous stagnation, liver troubles, manifested by such symptoms as yellow spots on the face or over dorsum of nose, are important indications.
  • Cantharis – Dr. W. P. Laird says that the great remedy for gout, the one which most accurately corresponds to the totally of the morbid phenomena, and which we may prescribe with confidence in at least two cases out of three, is Cantharis. The special symptoms are soreness in the region of the kidneys, cutting, contracting pains in the ureters extending to bladder and urethra and down spermatic cord, with retraction of testicles. Urination painful and difficult, passe in drops; cutting before and after urination; urine scanty, dark colored, with oftentimes a sediment looking like old mortar or a reddish brick-dust sediment.

Gout Cases Cured with Homeopathic Medicine

A Case of Rheumatic Arthritis or Gout? –  by Dagmar Scholz

Revisiting: Foot Pain Can’t Stand Up to Gout – by Elaine Lewis

Arthritis- The Homeopathic Approach – by Suriyakhatun Osman

Revisiting: Get on the Good Foot! – by Elaine Lewis

Chronic Articular Rheumatism – by Frankfort Strohmeyer

A Case of Leukemia – Ceanothus Americanus – by David Rosenstein

A Case of Rheumatism in a Woman of 68 – by Ajay Pandey

A Case of Arthritis – by Natalie Russell

Infertility and Homeopathy – by Nikunj Trivedi

The Healing Touch of Thuja Occidentalis in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome – by Rajat Chatterjee

The ZEN Method (Three Dimensional Prescription) – Leukemia and Down’s Syndrome – by Torako Yui

Revisiting: Dork’s Syndrome Hits Quiz Audience – by Elaine Lewis

About the author

Dr. Manisha Bhatia

BHMS, M.D. (Hom), CICH (Greece)
Dr. (Mrs) Manisha Bhatia is a leading homeopathy doctor working in Jaipur, India. She has studied with Prof. George Vithoulkas at the International Academy of Classical Homeopathy. She is the Director of Asha Homeopathy Medical Center, Jaipur's leading clinic for homeopathy treatment and has been practicing since 2004.

She writes for Hpathy.com about homeopathic medicines and their therapeutic indications and homeopathy treatment in various diseases. She is also Associate Professor, HoD and PG Guide at S.K. Homeopathy Medical College. To consult her online, - visit Dr. Bhatia's website.

4 Comments

  • ASAFOETIDA,extremely nervous fat flabby puffy venous purple face dark red shaded esp females prone to haemorrhages miscarriages,when inflicted with GOUT Kent states their nervousness goes away.Hempel states ASAF is morbid condition abdominal nerves contracted weak fast pulse hysterical nature creating severe congestion portal system pulsation veins.check of any discharge body defense system creates irritated nervous system with forehead pain.Asaf summary by NC Das Phlegmatic old syphilitics scars turn blue ulcer Scrofulous asthmatic prone to Psoas abcess staphylococci fetid secretions.with all this stimulation of venous system by Asaf potency will probably help GOUT in such constitutions.without selecting constitutional remedy only partial relief is expected.Gout is no disease for homeopaths it is creation hereditary plus own created self damages esp loss of faith in self inside doctor and haughtiness view that my resources of wealth can call even top doctor to house and cure all diseases.Kent advice esp to fat ladies in ASAF lecture is best advice.

  • Guaiacum,Hahnemann antipsoric ,Pulford says is syphilitic miasm gift by parents hereditary rheumatic gout diathesis,they get their blood boil at high rate called oxygenoid red spots on skin show his nature when at peak anger.life is candle if you burn at high rate it burns even bones.old era homeopaths said sulphur is fuel and Phos controller of ignition rate of oxygen,ayurveds call it pitta anti oxidant herbs is big business.if your hands are on hot side neck shoulder area pain 6pm to 4am knees are inflammatory even pus gouty ankles with bone pain lung apex pleurisy,this remedy serves purpose of belladona apis and baryta carb can save you going ulcer stage of nitric acid and not go to tuberculosis stage.this type of syphilitic nature in Punjabi language is PANGE BAZ without any purpose fights over minor trifles self damaging property no interest left in life.clinical tests treatments one may spend lacs without cure,homeopathy is natural science high potency may change nature but this remedy is for initial stages not for when your candle is burnt now nature is same but capability to produce heat is low then nitric acid types required.this is imp remedy but not included in Prasanta Banerjee chart showing miasmatic and thermal value.

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