Positive Health Online

Gout is classified as a rheumatic disease and often called the ‘disease of kings’ because of its association with rich foods and alcohol intake of affected older ‘more affluent’ males. Differential diagnosis for gout should include fracture, osteoarthritis, rheumatic fever, infection, chondrocalcinosis[1] and pseudogout.[2]

It is marked by pain and inflammation in joints, muscles or fibrous tissue, especially targeting joints of the fingers and toes. The base of the big toe3 is mostly associated with gout, where needle-shaped uric acid crystal deposits in the synovial joint capsule provoke painful inflammation, prevent weight bearing and can progress to tissue destruction. Over time, protective tophi[4] can grow around crystal deposits in joints, bursae, ligaments, articular cartilage, kidneys, heart, lungs, ears and eyes.

Gout is initiated by deposition of monosodium urate crystals in poorly hydrated, toxic (acidic), sluggish and malnourished tissues.

Ear tophi[3]

Purines are integral compounds of virtually all animal and vegetable cellular genetic material.[6] Normal purine metabolism produces uric acid, which serves as an antioxidant in blood vessel linings and is recycled in cell turnover. Raised uric acid levels due to (i) excess uric acid made via enzymatic defects or (ii) impaired excretion of uric acid in the kidneys, leads to crystal deposits resulting in painful inflammation and kidney problems as they regulate most uric acid excretion.


Ear tophi[3]

Faulty purine metabolism and other metabolic factors are associated with raised uric acid levels in gout, autism, cerebral palsy, deafness, epilepsy, susceptibility to recurrent infection and mental confusion. All of these symptoms can also be linked to vaccine damage and mercury toxicity which gives ample potential for research including the involvement in vitamin B12 deficiency. Little light is shed on these possible connections because vaccines, mercury fillings, fluoride and other toxins are not introduced into statistics when addressing research into causes and disease associations. However, because toxins (non-self) become attached to cells (self), auto-immune reaction can be the result and appropriate homeopathic nosode[7] treatment comes into its own here, especially where vaccination and mercury are concerned. 

Gout is uncommon in women or children, and the middle-aged prone males are often overweight, insulin resistant, have type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high triglyceride and cholesterol levels or are taking diuretic drugs. Diuretics are used to relieve fluid retention but fluid retention and high blood pressure are both symptoms of dehydration, along with electrolyte imbalance and usually toxicity. The body holds on to as much water as possible during the day in order to use it for detoxification during sleep. This is why oedematous ankles, fingers or whatever, are slimmer in the morning but puffy again at the end of the day. The vascular system is a closed system and when, as a result of dehydration, there is a lack of fluid (and consequently thicker blood), vessels constrict and blood pressure rises in order to keep body fluids flowing. 


X-rays[5] showing joint destruction and tophus formulation over time

In orthodox medicine the cause of gout is unknown. It is considered to have hereditary factors activated by dietary excess but association with just high living can be very misleading. Genes are not set in stone. Malnutrition, dehydration and toxicity can be inherited. Genes can change when the nutritional and cellular environment changes. 

As well as painful symptoms, there is risk of joint damage, and orthodox treatment is aimed at reducing symptoms and damage by the use of steroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, Colchicine,[8] drugs to prevent the formation of uric acid and drugs to enhance elimination of uric acid through the kidneys. None of these has any impact on the cause of gout and are similar, in effect, to covering up a car dashboard warning light. Symptoms are not the same as disease and are simply warnings of something which needs correcting. 

Ignoring warnings prevents corrective measures being taken and allows damage to progress unhindered.

The cause(s) of the symptoms are the problem, or the enemy, and not the symptoms themselves. Products containing aspirin should be avoided as it compromises excretion of uric acid via the kidneys.

Inflammation is characterized by heat, swelling and redness. This is a typical cellular reaction to a dry, acidic, malnourished, and toxic state and is usually localized to areas of trauma, weakness, sluggish lymphatic drainage, excess use or low priority in the water rationing survival system. Immune system activity causing tophi formation, as well as generalized bacterial and fungal ‘clean-up’[9] episodes, are indicative of systemic problems differentiated locally only by tissue types. Toxicity and auto-immune involvement should be carefully looked for in a detailed case history. There are individual anomalies in all cases, but they are always associated with the trunk of the tree:

In health there is no contradiction with so-called high living if this describes a rich, full and nutritionally-balanced diet[10] suitable for human consumption, and in this situation appetite and moderation are the ultimate guides to nutritional needs.

Causal aspects of gout can be identified and reversal approached with homeopathic nosodes, dietary, lifestyle and corrective changes, nutritional supplementation, alkalizing and herbal remedies. 

References:

1.    Chondrocalcinosis = calcification in hyaline and/or fibrocartilage.
2.    Pseudogout = acute synovitis.
3.    In Reflexology terms the big toe joint is approximated with the dorsal spine and energetically on the spleen/pancreas meridian. 
4.    Tophi (Latin for stone) or lumps. The immune system (WBCs) attempts to engulf uric acid crystals releasing lactic acid and inflammatory enzymes which causes pain and swelling. Image courtesy of:  www.pathology.vcu.edu/education
5.    Xrays from: http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/jpeg3/BONE062.jpg
6.    Recent research by Choi and others has shown that purines from meat and fish increase the risk of gout, while purines from vegetables and dairy do not.  It is debatable how much low-purine diet helps recovery from gout but purine level food tables are plentiful. Choi also identified beer as the alcoholic drink which raised the risk of gout. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3626505.stm Writer’s comment: Interesting that tap water toxins would be involved in beer making, especially the fluoride and aluminium combination which takes fluoride through the blood-brain barrier.
7.    Nosode is a Homeopathic antidote to original toxic material made by dilution and succussion which can be made at various potencies.
8.    Colchicine reduces the body’s inflammatory response to engulfing urate crystals.  It can have very damaging side effects and these should be investigated before use as well as considering the wisdom of diminishing immune function.
9.    V. Bradshaw-Black. DETOXIFICATION is wrongly called INFECTION. WHY? (ICHC article)
10.    The Nutrition Maze. Parts 1-4. www.positivehealth.com