DEAR DR. GOTT: I suffer from gout and the joints on my right hand burn like fire. I am taking thyroid and high blood pressure medication but wonder if there is a home remedy for the gout I might add.
DEAR READER: Gout is a somewhat complicated form of arthritis that affects the joints, such as those in the big toes, ankles, wrists, hands and knees. The pain is accompanied by inflammation and redness of the joint(s) involved. The cause for this condition is because of a buildup of uric acid crystals in the blood. The body produces uric acid when it breaks down organic compounds known as purines in the blood, or from specific foods consumed to include organ meats, asparagus, mushrooms and more. In the healthy individual, uric acid will dissolve in the blood, pass through the kidneys and be excreted through urination. When the body produces too much uric acid or the kidneys fail to excrete a sufficient amount of uric acid, a buildup can occur. Needle-like crystals form and a gout attack occurs.
Causes for gout include a family history of the disorder, the use of specific medications such as low-dose aspirin and thiazide diuretics for hypertension, excessive alcohol consumption, having narrowing arteries (atherosclerosis), untreated hypertension, and being male. Females can certainly have gout; however, males are more prone than are women. Some individuals may have only one attack in a lifetime; others who don’t seek treatment run the risk of developing urate crystals forming under the skin in nodules known as tophi. Tophi can develop in joints such as the fingers, hands, elbows, Achilles tendons, and feet; finally, if the crystals collect in the urinary tract, they can cause kidney stones.
Diagnosis is commonly made through blood testing to determine the level of uric acid present, or through needle aspiration of fluid from the affected joint that will be examined under a microscope. However, once an individual suffers an attack (and perhaps even before) a physician as well as the patient will know the diagnosis simply through visual examination and patient history without any testing.
There are a number of prescription medications available but because you have requested a home remedy, I can offer the following: Consider a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug such as ibuprofen or naprosyn. Avoid the use of alcohol. Instead, drink two to four liters of fluid every day, with at least half those fluids being water. (This may flush away the uric acid crystals that are forming.) Limit your daily intake of fish, poultry and meat to no more than six total ounces daily. Add tofu, fat-free dairy products and eggs to your diet. Eat up to 15 cherries each day during an acute attack to lessen the pain, or up to 10 each day for prevention. Vitamin C supplements in moderation may work toward reducing uric acid levels in your blood but do not take an excessive amount, as the reverse can occur and the result will be an increase. Finally, while undocumented, (as are most home remedies) the consumption of coffee is believed to also reduce uric acid levels in the body.
Readers who would like related information can order my Health Report “About Gout” by sending a self-addressed, stamped, number 10 envelope and a $2 US check or money order to my attention at PO Box 433, Lakeville, CT 06039. Be sure to mention the title when writing or print out an order form from my website www.AskDrGottMD.com.
