GOUT

Gout is a kind of arthritis.It is a disease in which crystals of uric acid are deposited in the joints, tendons, and skin. Most commonly affecting men, gout emerges as the sudden development of swollen, warm, tender joints, especially at the big (great) toe, ankle, wrist, and knee.

Gout is a disease, mainly affecting small joints. It is also related with disorders of the kidney. Gout occurs more commonly in those who eat a lot of meat, drink a lot of beer, or are overweight. Gout if left untreated can cause irreversible damage.

CAUSE

Uric acid is a substance resulting from the breakdown (metabolism) of purines, which are proteins found in human tissues and in many foods. Gout is caused by elevated levels of uric acid in the blood, due to either increased production of uric acid or decreased excretion of uric acid by the kidney. The excess uric acid is deposited as needle-like crystals in the cartilage and tissue surrounding joints, in the skin, and in the kidneys. These deposits cause inflammation, which can ultimately result in joint destruction, nodules called tophi, or kidney stones.Gout can affect people of all races, of all ages, and of either sex.

Genetic and environmental factors lead to increased uric acid levels in the blood, either by decreasing the excretion of uric acid or by increasing its production. In about 75 % of patients, genetic deformity contributes to increased uric acid levels by decreased uric acid excretion through urine.In about 25% of patients, increased uric acid production is the cause for gout. In such patients, if the kidneys are normal, they excrete more and more uric acid through urine.

Spiked rods of uric acid crystals from a synovial fluid sample photographed under a microscope with polarized light. Formation of uric acid crystals in the joints is associated with gout.

SECONDARY GOUT

Gout also develops in the context of other medical conditions. These other conditions include:

1. Obesity

2. Diseases of the blood including leukemia, polycythemia, and hemolytic anemia

3.Diabetes

4. High blood pressure (hypertension)

5.Kidney disorders

6.Certain medications such as diuretics (“water pills”), salicylates (aspirin), or niacin (vitamin B3)

7.Chronic lead exposure

The most common locations for gouty joints include:

1. Great toe

2. Ankle

3. Wrist

4. Knee

5. Elbow

6. Hand or fingers

7.Spine

X-ray of Gouty arthritis of finger

LIMITATIONS OF MODERN MEDICINE

There is no known effective treatment for Gout; it can be subsided through a variety of conventional therapies. Physicians often prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), steroids to keep inflammation and pain under control. These are administered via pills or injections. There are also medicines that can lower levels of uric acid. But all these measures carry the risk of significant side effects.

TREATMENT AT SVHRC

With the aim of finding means of effective management for Gout, research was conducted at SVHRC. After some trials, a combination of herbs working on Gout was finalized. The research was conducted on different age groups of patients and the herbal combination for Gout works on all kinds of patients. In addition to this, it was also found that in the case of secondary gout, the treatment for primary cause should also be taken along with gout treatment.

Therapeutic Aspect and Treatment protocol

– Patients of any age group can be treated for Gout.

– The patients of secondary Gout must be treated for the primary cause such as diseases of the blood, including leukemia, polycythemia, and hemolytic anemia, along with diabetes, high blood pressure, hypertension, kidney disorders, certain medications such as diuretics (“water pills”), salicylates (aspirin), or niacin (vitamin B-3) and Chronic lead exposure.

– A pure vegetarian diet (controlled diet) is advised during the treatment.

– Eliminate coffee and all other caffeine sources from the diet.

– Alcohol consumption should be stopped. Alcohol promotes dehydration and irritates the urinary tract.

During the treatment, each patient is advised to follow a specifically prescribed regimen for effective results of the medicines on the patient.

It is of utmost importance that patients under treatment from SVHRC should not take any other form of medicine without informing or without the consent of the doctors at SVHRC. Taking any other type of medicine while undergoing treatment could prove detrimental to the recovery of the patient since it could interfere with the functioning of the herbal medicines given by doctors at SVHRC and may cause adverse effects on the health of a patient.

TESTIMONIALS (SUCCESSFUL TREATMENTS DONE BY  SVHRC)

1.Mr. A. K. , Badlapur, Maharashtra, India(Name changed)

“I am now 68 years old (2016). I started getting the symptoms of Gout with the swelling of finger joints about 3 months back. There used to be severe pain with swelling, redness and the fingers started becoming crooked due to gout. Incidentally I met Dr. J. T. Prasad of SVHRC, he gave me herbal medicines and in a month of the treatment the swelling and pain in my fingers gradually reduced. Two months later, my fingers started recovering and I got about 70% of relief. I am still continuing with the treatment.”

2. Mrs. Shah Mumbai, India(Name changed)

“I am 79 years (2016) old and I had been suffering from Gout for the last 20 years. My second toe of the right foot was overlapping onto the third due to Gout. In last 20 years my children took me to many ayurvedic/homeopathy/allopathy doctors. But nothing really worked. In October 2015, I met Dr. J. T. Prasad from SVHRC. I started taking medicine and within a month’s treatment, my overlapped toe started to resume its normal position. I continued the treatment for 3 months and my toe has fully recovered now.”

3. Shashikala Bangaluru, India(Name changed)

  “In 1994, at the age of 40, I was suffering from Gout with symptoms like swelling in the finger joints of hands and feet. The pain was especially severe during early mornings. I met Dr. J. T. Prasad who prescribed herbal medicines of SVHRC and advised me to follow a vegetarian diet. I started taking the medicines and within a month, the pain and swelling had considerably reduced. After 4 months of taking the treatment, I was completely relieved of Gout. “