How to Prevent and Manage Painful Gout Attacks
Plus, learn how traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) approaches gout treatment.Gout is a common arthritis condition that often causes severe pain, swelling, and inflammation in joints at places like the big toe, wrist, and knee. An estimated 9.2 million Americans suffer from gout, and it is more common among men and older people.Gout is caused by too much uric acid building up in the body. Uric acid is a naturally occurring substance normally produced in the body and excreted through the kidneys. When the body cannot effectively pass enough uric acid, it can accumulate in the blood and form crystals, eventually causing gout attacks around the joints.Possible Causes of Uric Acid AccumulationUric acid comes primarily from the decomposition of purine, which comes from food and/or is synthesized by the body. Uric acid buildup is likely caused by the following:Genetics: Some people may inherit genetic factors that make them more likely to produce too much uric acid or excrete it less efficiently, thus increasing their risk of gout.Diet: Excessive intake of purine-heavy foods, such as meat, seafood, and the like, may lead to an increase in the production of uric acid and its accumulation in the body.Obesity: Obesity is also associated with an increased risk of gout because it affects uric acid excretion.Chronic diseases: Certain diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and kidney disease may affect the excretion of uric acid and thus increase the risk of its accumulation.Studies have confirmed the bidirectional relationship between self-reported hypertension and gout. This study found that compared to people with normal blood pressure, patients with high blood pressure had an 88 percent increased risk of developing gout. On the other hand, people with gout had an 18 percent increased risk of developing high blood pressure compared with people without gout.How to Prevent GoutGout attacks are excruciating and seriously affect the quality of life. You can try improving and managing your lifestyle and diet to prevent them. The following are some tips for doing that:Diet adjustment: Control the intake of high-purine foods such as meat, giblets, and seafood, among others. On the contrary, increase the intake of low-purine foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, etc. Moreover, avoid alcohol, especially beer and strong spirits, as alcohol can accelerate the production and accumulation of uric acid.Weight control: Maintaining a healthy body weight and avoiding obesity can help reduce your risk of gout attacks. A study published in Arthritis Research & Therapy in 2021 found that weight gain is a significant risk factor for developing gout, especially weight gain in adulthood. The researchers emphasized that these findings highlight that maintaining a healthy body weight and weight loss across adulthood is essential for preventing and treating gout.Drink more water: Adequate water intake can help enhance the excretion of uric acid and prevent its accumulation in the body. A study found a significant correlation between lower water intake and hyperuricemia. After adjusting for age, gender, high blood pressure, and other factors, it was shown that people with higher water intake had a 58 percent lower chance of developing hyperuricemia.Moderate exercise: Moderate exercise can help control weight and improve metabolism, helping prevent gout.Appropriate medication: Doctors may recommend that patients take specific medications, such as uric acid-lowering drugs, to help lower uric acid levels and prevent gout attacks.Avoid stress and injury: Avoid excessive joint stress or injury to prevent gout attacks.Since the onset of gout is affected by several factors, preventing gout is a comprehensive process that requires integrating various methods and lifestyle adjustments. If you have a family history of gout or are experiencing symptoms, it is best to develop a personalized prevention plan.How Does TCM Treat Gout?Gout treatment in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) always starts with the patient’s overall constitution and the cause of gout. It usually includes Chinese herbal medicine, dietary adjustment, acupuncture, massage, and other means.TCM believes that all things or phenomena in nature are governed by two mutually exclusive characteristics: the “yin” and the “yang.” For example, there is the earth and sky, cold and heat. These energies of yin and yang are opposite in nature, but they are interdependent and cannot exist without the other. When yin and yang in one’s body are balanced, he will be healthy and full of energy, and things will be properly coordinated and stable. Failing that, various issues will crop up in his body.In that respect, TCM practitioners will prepare Chinese herbal decoctions according to the patient’s physical characteristics and symptoms to regulate the body’s yin and yang balance, clear the excessive heat and detoxify, activate blood circulation, and remove blood s
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Plus, learn how traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) approaches gout treatment.
Gout is a common arthritis condition that often causes severe pain, swelling, and inflammation in joints at places like the big toe, wrist, and knee. An estimated 9.2 million Americans suffer from gout, and it is more common among men and older people.
Gout is caused by too much uric acid building up in the body. Uric acid is a naturally occurring substance normally produced in the body and excreted through the kidneys. When the body cannot effectively pass enough uric acid, it can accumulate in the blood and form crystals, eventually causing gout attacks around the joints.
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Possible Causes of Uric Acid Accumulation
Uric acid comes primarily from the decomposition of purine, which comes from food and/or is synthesized by the body. Uric acid buildup is likely caused by the following:- Genetics: Some people may inherit genetic factors that make them more likely to produce too much uric acid or excrete it less efficiently, thus increasing their risk of gout.
- Diet: Excessive intake of purine-heavy foods, such as meat, seafood, and the like, may lead to an increase in the production of uric acid and its accumulation in the body.
- Obesity: Obesity is also associated with an increased risk of gout because it affects uric acid excretion.
- Chronic diseases: Certain diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and kidney disease may affect the excretion of uric acid and thus increase the risk of its accumulation.
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How to Prevent Gout
Gout attacks are excruciating and seriously affect the quality of life. You can try improving and managing your lifestyle and diet to prevent them. The following are some tips for doing that:- Diet adjustment: Control the intake of high-purine foods such as meat, giblets, and seafood, among others. On the contrary, increase the intake of low-purine foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, etc. Moreover, avoid alcohol, especially beer and strong spirits, as alcohol can accelerate the production and accumulation of uric acid.
- Weight control: Maintaining a healthy body weight and avoiding obesity can help reduce your risk of gout attacks. A study published in Arthritis Research & Therapy in 2021 found that weight gain is a significant risk factor for developing gout, especially weight gain in adulthood. The researchers emphasized that these findings highlight that maintaining a healthy body weight and weight loss across adulthood is essential for preventing and treating gout.
- Drink more water: Adequate water intake can help enhance the excretion of uric acid and prevent its accumulation in the body. A study found a significant correlation between lower water intake and hyperuricemia. After adjusting for age, gender, high blood pressure, and other factors, it was shown that people with higher water intake had a 58 percent lower chance of developing hyperuricemia.
- Moderate exercise: Moderate exercise can help control weight and improve metabolism, helping prevent gout.
- Appropriate medication: Doctors may recommend that patients take specific medications, such as uric acid-lowering drugs, to help lower uric acid levels and prevent gout attacks.
- Avoid stress and injury: Avoid excessive joint stress or injury to prevent gout attacks.
.
How Does TCM Treat Gout?
Gout treatment in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) always starts with the patient’s overall constitution and the cause of gout. It usually includes Chinese herbal medicine, dietary adjustment, acupuncture, massage, and other means.TCM believes that all things or phenomena in nature are governed by two mutually exclusive characteristics: the “yin” and the “yang.” For example, there is the earth and sky, cold and heat. These energies of yin and yang are opposite in nature, but they are interdependent and cannot exist without the other. When yin and yang in one’s body are balanced, he will be healthy and full of energy, and things will be properly coordinated and stable. Failing that, various issues will crop up in his body.
In that respect, TCM practitioners will prepare Chinese herbal decoctions according to the patient’s physical characteristics and symptoms to regulate the body’s yin and yang balance, clear the excessive heat and detoxify, activate blood circulation, and remove blood stasis and acid, and increase urine output.
Also, in TCM, many diseases can be traced to the various forces in the environment, including wind, cold, heat, dryness, dampness, and fire.
In acute gout attacks, it is best to have heat-clearing prescriptions such as Bupleurum and Rehmannia Combination, and severe damp-heat symptoms can be treated with general gout pills such as the Cinnamon and Angelica Formula.
Some TCM practitioners recommend that patients try mind and body adjustment methods such as qigong and Falun Gong. These methods can help balance the body and the mind and promote health.
It should be noted that TCM treatment requires a bespoke treatment plan based on individual constitution and symptoms. If needed, a combination of TCM and Western medicine can be considered to treat gout.
Some of the herbs mentioned above may sound unfamiliar, but many can be found in health food stores and Asian grocers. However, since everyone’s body constitution differs, please consult a professional physician for specific treatment plans.
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