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Gout is an extremely
painful type of arthritis in which crystalline deposits of uric acid form within
the joints. Although it typically strikes the base of the big toe, it can occur
in any joint. An estimated 840 out of 100,000 people, usually between the ages
of 30 and 50, get gout. It is 20 times more common among men than women are.
Women rarely get gout before the onset of menopause. Some families are genetically
predisposed, and African-Americans as well as individuals with poor kidney function
are more likely to suffer gout attacks. |
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| How Does Gout Develop? |
Gout is caused by elevated
blood levels of uric acid, a waste product of the breakdown of cells and proteins.
This excess can be due to an increase in uric acid production as well as the
inability of the kidneys to adequately clear uric acid from the body. Certain
foods, such as shellfish, and excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages may
increase uric acid levels and precipitate gout attacks. Obesity, hypertension,
diabetes, and medications can also increase uric acid levels. With time, the
elevated levels of uric acid in the blood may form needle-like crystals in the
joints, leading to acute and very painful gout attacks. Uric acid may also collect
under the skin, which is known as tophi or in the urinary tract as kidney stones. |
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| What are the Symptoms of Gout? |
The most common symptoms
of gout are inflammation, swelling, tenderness, warmth, and redness in the affected
joint, usually the big toe. Touching or moving the affected joint is intensely
painful, and patients often say it hurts to have as little as a bed sheet over
the affected joint. The pain may be accompanied by a mild fever. Gout develops
quickly, and although it typically occurs in only one joint at a time, on rare
occasions symptoms may develop in two or three joints simultaneously. In most
cases, however, if these symptoms occur in joints throughout the body, the condition
is probably not gout.
Conventional medical treatments may help relieve the symptoms of gout, but
they do not address the root of the problem. By strengthening structural weaknesses
and addressing imbalances in the body, as natural treatments do, pain associated
with gout may be alleviated permanently.
| Natural vs. Modern Medicine's Approach to Gout |
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| Modern Medicine's Approach to Gout |
The goal of modern medical
treatment is to stop the pain and inflammation associated with initial attacks
of gout and pseudogout, and to prevent future attacks. This is approached in
several different ways, including joint aspiration, in which fluid is withdrawn
from the affected joint with a needle and syringe to relieve the swelling and
to analyze the fluid found in the joint. Modern medical doctors may also use
x-ray technology as a diagnostic tool to locate the crystals associated with
pseudogout. However, this tool does not always properly diagnose the pain source.
Another problem with this approach is that it does nothing to strengthen the
weakened ligaments caused by the inflammation and degeneration associated with
these two conditions and, thus, does not alleviate the chronic pain that afflicted
individual’s experience.
Another standard practice of modern medicine is the use of medications. For
example, colchicine is used to reduce the pain, swelling and inflammation associated
with acute gout and pseudogout attacks. It works by decreasing the inflammation
caused by uric acid crystals within the joint. However, it does not decrease
the uric acid levels in the bloodstream. Steroids and anti-inflammatory medications
are also used. However, in the long run, these treatments do more damage than
good. Although cortisone shots and anti-inflammatory drugs have been shown to
produce short-term pain benefit, both result in long-term loss of function and
even more chronic pain by actually inhibiting the healing process of soft tissues
and accelerating cartilage degeneration. Plus, long-term use of these drugs can
lead to other sources of chronic pain, allergies and leaky gut syndrome. Codeine
or other analgesics may also be prescribed for pain relief. In addition, a diet
low in purines may also be prescribed. |
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| The Natural Approach to Gout and Pseudogout |
Chronic pain is most
commonly due to tendon weakness, ligament weakness or cartilage deterioration.
The safest and most effective natural medicine treatment for repairing tendon,
ligament and cartilage damage is Chiropractic. In simple
terms, Chiropractic stimulates the body to repair painful areas. |
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Recommended Services: Chiropractic
Care, Massage Therapy, Physical
Therapy, Rehabilitative Therapies, Living
Well for Life, Auricular Therapy
If you are interested
in more information about natural treatments or to schedule an appointment at
one of our three convenient locations, please contact Central Health and Wellness
at 972-671-5263 or use the online Inquiry Form
Disclaimer:
The preceding is to provide information about relief and the benefits
that may be derived. It is not intended to claim a cure for any disease or condition.
It should not take the place of your doctor’s advice or treatment.
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