GOUT AND AYURVEDA

Gout is a metabolic disorder of uric acid. Levels of uric acid increased in the body either due to its increased production or due to its decreased removal from the body. It results in an excess of uric acid in the tissues or blood. This excess amount of uric acid causes gouty arthritis in joints, kidney stones or deposition of uric acid crystals in skin or tissues forming tophii. In Ayurveda it is called Vatarakta. In this the vitiated vata dosha gets combined with impure blood (rakta dhatu) and travels throughout the body causing symptoms in skin, joints and deep tissues.

Symptoms

1)  Sudden onset of pain in joints. Most commonly the pain starts from great toe of the feet, but any other joint can be affected.

2)    Swelling, redness, tenderness in the joints. Painful movements of joints.

3)    Increased sweating.

4)    Deposition of uric acid crystals in skin forming tophii most commonly on the ear pinna.

Aggravating Factors

1)    Intake of alcohol especially beverages.

2)    Diets rich in red meats, yeast and oily fish.

3)    High protein diet like soya products, pulses, dairy products.

4)    Uric acid levels increase at puberty in men and at menopause in women.

5)    Ayurveda views cold exposure and indigestion also as aggravating factors.

Diseases associated with a higher incidence of gout include hypertension, diabetes, renal insufficiency, hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, obesity, and early menopause.

Management of Gout at Sukhayurveda

1)    SukhAyurveda Detox Therapies for Gout

We at Sukhayurveda provide detoxification therapies for vatarakta (gout). According to Ayurveda Vatarakta is of two types. When the symptoms of gout are present only in the skin (like tophii on ear pinna) then the disease is called superficial or uttan vatarakta. When it involves deep structures and joints it is called gambhir vatarakta. In vatarakta, vitiated vata dosha impurifies the blood i.e rakta dhatu. We give various kinds of lepam for local application which work as blood purifier. For vatarakta we at Sukhayurveda give abhyangam massage, potali massage, oil enema, therapeutic purgation to eliminate toxins from body. These all procedures act as vata pacifying therapies and helps in relieving symptoms.

2)    Proper Nutrition

Proper nutrition is the key to remain healthy. Our body built has a direct relation with food whatever we eat. We at Sukhayurveda give proper nutrition guidance according to different diseases. As Gout is basically a metabolic disorder so diet has a great emphasis on its cause and treatment. Low protein diet and low cholesterol diet help in lowering serum uric acid. So avoid soya and meat products, pulses having higher amount of proteins.

3)    Ayurveda Herbs

Sukhayurveda consultant makes different formulas of herbal preparations for gout which vary from person to person according to one’s own body constitution. Suranjan is the drug of choice in case of vatarakta. Guggul, rasna, giloy are also used to treat vatarakta.

       

4)    Lifestyle and Daily Routine

One of the most important factors for maintaining healthy functioning is to have a lifestyle that does not disturb natural bodily rhythms. Sukhayurveda consultant advises you a proper lifestyle which creates a healthy inner environment of the body. Maintaining a high level of hydration with water at-least 8 glasses of liquids per day is helpful in reducing recurrent gouty attacks. Weight reduction in case of obese patients is also helpful. Maintaining good control of sugar levels in diabetics is also helpful.

5)    Yoga

Sukhayurveda considers yoga a non dietary regiment to improve digestive strength, blood circulation, nervous system function, healing response of body. We at Sukhayurveda offer yoga classes every day and teach simple but profound set of postures that you can practice daily. Yoga offers stretching of the joints and muscles to help with flexibility which can also help prevent gout episodes and symptoms. The patient in the beginning phase of disease should go for micro-exercises then move to more challenging movements.

6)    Strengthening the Body's Natural Healing and Self-Repair Mechanisms

Ultimately every treatment approach must depend on the body's natural healing ability for a real cure of the condition. SukhAyurveda approach is not to attack the disorder with something from the outside, but to attempt to enliven the innate healing response of the body. We not only cure disease but also treat the root cause of the disease and also boost one’s inner resistance power for disease.

      Taking together, all the SukhAyurveda programs described above, aim to create the ideal mental, physical and behavioral environment for healing.

Happy Ayurveda!