5 Best Natural Homeopathic Medicines to Treat Gout

Gout is an inflammatory joint disease that arises due to increased uric acid levels in the blood. Though any joint in the body can be affected by gout but the joint at the base of the great toe has a higher chance to be affected in majority of the cases. Normal uric acid levels in blood are 3.5 to 7.2 mg/dL. A uric acid level more than this indicates hyperuricemia (high uric acid). Increased uric acid is not a disease and by itself is not dangerous. However, if excess uric acid levels lead to the formation of crystals between the joints, gout can develop. In some individuals, excess uric acid levels also lead to the formation of kidney stones.  Please remember not all who have high levels of uric acid, develop gout. High level of uric acid in blood without any symptoms is termed asymptomatic hyperuricemia.

Homeopathic Treatment 

Homeopathic medicines for gout help relieve symptoms and also reduce the associated swelling in joints. These medicines can be a big boon for all those who suffer from high uric acid and gout. These medicines work by reducing overproduction of uric acid in the body and where need be, by accelerating the removal of this waste product through kidneys. Symptoms like pain, swelling, tenderness in the affected joints are manageable with these medicines. Following this, the treatment for excess uric acid can help treat chronic tendency to develop frequent episodes of gout.

Top Homeopathic Medicines for Gout

The topmost homeopathic medicines for treating gout are Colchicum Autumnale, Benzoicum Acidum, Ledum Pal and Berberis Vulgaris.

1. Colchicum Autumnale – Top Grade Medicine For Gout

Colchicum Autumnale is the most frequently recommended medicine for gout. It is an infallible medicine to give speedy relief in pain, soreness, and swelling of joints from gout. It is effective for managing gout in almost any of the joints but particularly the one that affects the big toe. There is intense pain, swelling in the big toe in cases needing it. The big toe is highly tender, sore and hot, even a slight touch on toe is unbearable. The pain gets worse on movement. Aggravation of toe pain in the evening is also noted in few cases requiring this remedy. It can be given for swelling and stiffness in hands and feet from gout. This medicine can even be used when multiple joints are affected with gout at the same time.

2. Benzoicum Acidum – For Gout Affecting Knee Joint And Big Toe

Benzoicum Acidum is a wonderful medicine for gout that affects the knee joint and the big toe. In cases requiring it, the knee joint is swollen and painful, and there is a cracking in the joint with movement. In some cases, nodes from the deposits of urate crystals may be present on the knees. Benzoicum Acidum also works well in cases of knee pain worsening from taking wine. Other than knee, it is also beneficial for pain in the big toe joint. Its use is considered when pain in big toe is severe at night. It occurs in the big toe mainly of right side. Tearing or stitching pain is felt.

3. Ledum Pal – For Gout Affecting Ankle, Hands And Feet

Ledum Pal is most suitable to manage gout that affects ankles. It is indicated when there is pain and swelling in the ankle that radiates upwards in the leg. The pain gets worse with movement. Otherwise, Ledium Pal is also helpful for treating gout affecting feet and toes. There is tearing pain in the toes. Its use is also highly suggested when gout starts in the joints of lower limbs and afterwards affects joints in the upper body. In case of gout of the hand, it is indicated when nodes form on the hand and finger joints. A drawing type of pain in the affected hand is felt.

4. Berberis Vulgaris – To Manage Kidney Stones From High Uric Acid

Berberis Vulgaris is a top medicine for treating kidney stones due to high uric acid. It helps to dissolve kidney stones magnificently. It is indicated in cases where there is pain around the kidneys. The pain may radiate down to the urinary bladder from the kidney area, along with a stinging, burning sensation in the kidneys. The urine may also contain sandy or slimy sediments. Though it can be used for kidney stones on any side, but is most prominently indicated for left sided kidney stones.

5. Bryonia Alba – For Gout When Pain Worsen From Slightest Movement

Bryonia Alba is prescribed in gout cases when joint pain gets worse from the slightest movement. It is the most helpful when there is pain, redness, heat and swelling in joints, especially feet. Other than movement, pain gets worse from touch. The nature of pain is sharp, tearing or stinging type.

6. Urtica Urens – To Cut Short Duration Of Acute Gout Attack

It is an important medicine in homeopathy to cut short the duration of acute gout. Due to this action, it is also known as the anti-gout medicine. It is most prominently indicated for gout that affects wrists and ankles. Like Berberis Vulgaris, this medicine is also used for dissolving kidney stones.

 7. Lycopodium – For Gout Affecting Heel

This medicine is well indicated for gout-causing heel pain. There may be worsening of heel pain while walking. A sensation of stone under the heel is felt. Along with this, profuse sweat and coldness is felt on the feet. Lycopodium is also indicated for cases of chronic gout where chalky deposits have formed in the joints.

8. Causticum – For Gout In Elbow Joint

Causticum is a medicine for gout in the elbow joint. It can be given when there is a pressing or gripping sensation felt in the elbow, along with pain. Warmth in the elbow area can help relieve the pain. Causticum also helps in lowering down uric acid levels.

Signs And Symptoms Of Gout

Gout symptoms occur due to the deposition of uric acid crystals in the joint spaces and or in the connective tissue of the joints. The main signs and symptoms are as follows:

1. Pain in joints: Gout is a very painful condition mainly affecting the metatarsal – phalangeal joint at the base of the big toe in most cases. Gout affecting big toe joint is named podagra. Pain occurs suddenly and in most cases, joint pain starts during the night and reaches maximum within 12 hrs of its beginning.

 Joints affected

Gout mainly affects the joint (metatarsal–phalangeal joint) at the base of the big toe but it can affect other joints as well. The other joints that can be affected by gout include ankles, heels, knees, wrist, elbow, fingers, and shoulders.

Duration of a gout attack

One episode of gout can last from 3 days to two weeks. In between two gout attacks, no symptoms occur at all.

2. Swelling, redness and heat in joints

3. Tenderness of the joint: Joint is painful even to slightest touch and even the little contact with bedsheet seems unbearable.

4. Stiffness of joint and limited range of motion of joint

5. Tophi– Deposits of hard, painless deposits of uric acid, called tophi can appear as lumps under the skin and around the joints from long-standing increase in uric acid levels.

Cause And Risk Factors:

The main cause of gout is an increase in uric acid levels in the blood.

The following factors increase risk of gout

1. Dietary factors: Eating food products rich in purines tend to raise the levels of uric acid in the blood. Some foods that are high in purines include meat, fish, seafood, shrimps, shellfish, beans, dried mushrooms, spinach. Besides excessive alcohol intake is strongly linked with an increased risk of gout. Drinking sugar-sweetened beverages are also linked with gout.

2. Some medical conditions make a person susceptible to gout. These include kidney disease, metabolic syndrome (It is a group of conditions including hypertension, abdominal obesity, insulin resistance and abnormal lipid levels), psoriasis, haemolytic anemia, diabetes and hypertension.

3. A positive family history of gout increases risk

4. Obesity also increases susceptibility

5. Males are at higher risk of developing gout as compared to females. In females, chances are more of developing gout after menopause.

6. Use of certain medicines, like thiazide diuretics, is linked with gout attacks. Some other medicines associated with gout attack are aspirin, beta blockers, immunosuppressive drugs ciclosporins and excessive use of vitamin D supplements.

7. Recent surgery or a physical trauma

Pathophysiology

In our body, when purines (present in certain food and drinks) break, then uric acid is formed. This uric acid is expelled via kidneys in urine.  Gout occurs when there occurs an increase in the uric acid levels in the blood. Uric acid levels increase either due to its overproduction (in 10%of cases), or decreased elimination of the uric acid from the body by the kidney (this is cause in 90% of the cases). As a result of increased uric acid levels in blood, uric acid crystals (known as monosodium urate crystals) start accumulating in joints and soft tissue around it.  These are sharp needle-like crystals that trigger an inflammatory response resulting in gout.

Complications Of Gout

1. A person may get recurrent attacks of gout each year

2. Joint erosion, damage and destruction

3. Formation of tophi (nodules under skin from deposits of urate crystals) that can form in any area like fingers, feet, hands and Achilles tendon. Tophi become tender during gout attack, at other times are entirely painless.

4. In some cases, urate crystals tend to accumulate in urinary tracts leading to kidney stones.

Diagnosis And Investigations

1. Uric acid levels in blood: It is the most common test recommended in case of gout in which levels of serum uric acid levels in blood are found to be elevated in gout. But its role in confirming gout is limited as it is seen that many people have high uric acid level in blood but do not have gout while some persons have gout but their blood uric acid levels are normal.

2. Synovial fluid test: In doubtful cases, this test is suggested as it gives confirmatory diagnosis of gout. In this test, fluid from the affected joint is drawn with needles and checked under microscope. In case of gout, urate crystals are seen in this fluid.

3. Ultrasound of joint: It may help to check urate crystals in joint.

4. X-ray of joint: It may not be helpful in acute cases but in chronic cases, it may show joint erosions.

Managing Gout

Certain lifestyle measures can help manage gout, like:

Rich diet that includes a healthy amount of fluid intake

Avoid foods that cause gout due to their high purine content, like meat, fish, seafood, beans, shellfish, and spinach

Avoid alcohol

Increase the amount of water intake as well as fluids like coconut water, buttermilk, green tea and lemon water

Reduce weight if required

Ensure routine exercise