Herbs For Gout
Tips on Using Herbs for Gout
Many people who suffer gout attacks use herbs for gout prevention and treatment. Gout is an extremely painful condition caused by the accumulation of uric acid crystals in the joints. Gout is a type of arthritis. Gout typically affects the big toe first and is often preceded by some sort of injury to the toe. In someone prone to gout, even stubbing the toe can bring on an attack of gout. The toe joint becomes inflamed, red, hot, and painful. Gout is sometimes so painful that even a sheet lying on the toe at night can be excruciating.
It is generally believed that gout runs in families. Doctors usually advise those susceptible to gout to cut down on or even to totally avoid alcohol, red meats, and other rich foods which contain high quantities of purines. Unfortunately, even if that advice is strictly adhered to, many people still suffer gout attacks. Another medical solution to gout prevention is a medication called allopurinol. This drug has been available for many years and people with high uric acid in their blood are prescribed this medication daily, often for life. Unfortunately for gout sufferers, the more often gout symptoms occur, the more likely it is to recur and it also may migrate from the big toe to other joints in the body.
Even though medication is the most effective method of control over gout symptoms, many people prefer a more natural solution or would like to improve their outcome by supplementing the medication with herbs for gout. Cherry nettle extract combined with a vitamin C supplement have proven effective in gout attack prevention when taken daily with or without further medication. The effectiveness of herbs alone to prevent gout depends on the severity and frequency of gout attacks.
While achieving and maintaining a healthy weight will reduce the frequency of gout attacks, a crash diet can cause higher levels of uric acid in the blood and actually cause symptoms. Staying well hydrated will also reduce gout attacks by diluting the amount of uric acid in the blood and helping the kidneys remove uric acid from the body.
Treatment of an acute gout attack by a medical provider can include a combination of drugs, often including steroids. There are some effective more natural gout therapies that have gain popularity over the years. Cherry juice is the oldest natural gout remedy. Juice is recommended because the amount of cherries that would have to be eaten could be hard on the digestive system. To be effective, it needs to be 100 percent cherry juice which is often not possible to find except for in health food stores. With or without medication, it will take 3 to 5 days for any therapy to begin to relieve the painful symptoms.
There are several herbs that can help resolve some of the inflammation that gout causes. Devil’s claw reduced inflammation and therefore pain. It is prepared as a tincture and is recommended that 400 mg be taken three times per day until symptoms subside. Bromelain is also an anti-inflammatory when it is taken on an empty stomach. The recommended amount to take is 150 to 250 mg per dosage three times a day.
Many other herbal remedies which generally relieve pain and swelling of the joints are helpful for gout attacks. These include: aconite, belladonna, bryonia, colchicum, and ledum. Another natural, non-medication, therapies for gout attacks is the use of hot and cold compresses. Apply the compresses alternatively, allowing each compress to work for 30 minutes. The cold reduces swelling in the joint, while the hot compress improves circulation which can help the body dissolve and remove the uric acid crystals. Rest and elevation of the foot are also common sense measures that will alleviate some of the pain of an acute gout attack.