Uric Acid And Homoeopathy

Uric Acid And Homoeopathy

- When the level of uric acid or, rather, sodium urate in their blood rises above its ‘solubility limit’ so that crystals form in the body is called as GOUT.

- Gout is a common and complex form of arthritis that can affect anyone. It's characterized by sudden, severe attacks of pain, swelling, redness and tenderness in the joints, often the joint at the base of the big toe.

An attack of gout can occur suddenly, often waking you up in the middle of the night with the sensation that your big toe is on fire. The affected joint is hot, swollen and so tender that even the weight of the sheet on it may seem intolerable.

What is uric acid?

- Uric acid is an end-product – the last chemical in a chain of steps that break down the purines from the genetic material (DNA and RNA) and the related chemical ATP which supplies energy within all our cells.

- These purine breakdown products are released into the blood from our cells as they die and are replaced, and purines are also released from food as it is digested.

- In the blood, 99 percent of uric acid is in the form of the more soluble sodium urate. However, in urine, which has a wide range of acidity, the ratio of uric acid to urate varies, and it is almost entirely uric acid when the urine is very acidic.

- Thus, uric acid crystals and stones may also develop in the kidneys, leading to decline in their efficiency.

Risk factors

You're more likely to develop gout if you have high levels of uric acid in your body. Factors that increase the uric acid level in your body include:

- Diet: Eating a diet rich in meat and seafood and drinking beverages sweetened with fruit sugar (fructose) increase levels of uric acid, which increase your risk of gout. Alcohol consumption, especially of beer, also increases the risk of gout.

Obesity: If you're overweight, your body produces more uric acid and your kidneys have a more difficult time eliminating uric acid.

- Medical conditions: Certain diseases and conditions increase your risk of gout. These include untreated high blood pressure and chronic conditions such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and heart and kidney diseases.

- Certain medications: The use of thiazide diuretics — commonly used to treat hypertension — and low-dose aspirin also can increase uric acid levels. So can the use of anti-rejection drugs prescribed for people who have undergone an organ transplant.

- Family history of gout: If other members of your family have had gout, you're more likely to develop the disease.

- Age and sex: Gout occurs more often in men, primarily because women tend to have lower uric acid levels. After menopause, however, women's uric acid levels approach those of men. Men are also more likely to develop gout earlier — usually between the ages of 30 and 50 — whereas women generally develop signs and symptoms after menopause.

Recent surgery or trauma: Experiencing recent surgery or trauma has been associated with an increased risk of developing a gout attack.

High Uric Acid Causes:

1. Kidney Diseases

Levels of uric acid can also be elevated when the kidneys are unable to eliminate the excess of uric acid from the body. This can majorly be due to kidney dysfunction like kidney stones, chronic kidney disease, adverse effects of some drugs like diuretics, NSAID’s, etc.

2. High Purine Diet

Uric acid levels majorly get affected by purine-rich foods like beef, organ meats, mussels, sweetbreads, mackerel, spinach, asparagus, beans, lentils, dried peas, etc.

Oxalate-rich foods including spinach, beets, nuts, rhubarb, chocolate, black tea, wheat bran, beans and strawberries also contribute to increased uric acid levels. Some other dietary items like gluten, dairy, corn, white bread, and sugars can also lead to increased uric acid production.

3. High Intake of Fructose

Intake of fructose-rich foods and drinks increases the production of inosine and purines, thereby rapidly raising uric acid levels by activating certain enzymes. Fructose also stimulates uric acid synthesis from amino acid precursors such as glycine.

4.  High Sodium Intake and Ketogenic Diet

High intake of sodium and following a ketogenic diet (low carb, moderate protein, and high-fat diet) reduces the ability of the kidney to eliminate the uric acid.

5. Increased Alcohol Intake

The production of uric acid gets stimulated by alcohol as it increases the lactic acid content in the body, which reduces the excretion of uric acid in the kidney. Alcohol also speeds up the breakdown of purines, thereby raising the production of uric acid.

6. Hypothyroidism

Deficiency of thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) influences the purine metabolism and also causes a reduction in kidney blood flow and filtration rate, which results in elevated uric acid levels in the blood.

7. Parathyroid Hormones

Increase in parathyroid hormone reduces the excretion of urate from the kidney, leading to elevated uric acid levels.

8.  Obesity

Obesity or excessive body weight leads to the production of excess uric acid in the body, making it difficult for the kidney to process and eliminate it. Hyperuricemia correlates with leptin (hormone that controls hunger) levels, as an obese individual has higher leptin levels (due to leptin resistance).

9. Sex Hormones

Blood uric acid is higher in men as compared to women, making males more prone to hyperuricemia. As estrogen hormone is required for the regular elimination of urate (uric acid salt) through the kidneys, men being low on estrogen tend to develop hyperuricemia.

10. Nutrient deficiency

In menopausal women, hyperuricemia is often linked to a Vitamin D deficiency.

11. Diuretics 

Diuretics are known to be important causes of secondary hyperuricemia. They cause an increase in blood uric acid levels along with an increase in its reabsorption, leading to a decrease in the uric acid secretion from the body.

Signs and Symptoms

When uric acid crystals settle into joints, symptoms of gout start to appear.

Common symptoms of gout in the joints include:

- Severe pain in joints of feet, ankles, knees, hips, wrists, hands, fingers and back where even the weight of clothing is intolerable.

- Discoloration in the joints in the joints is quite noticeable; they may become deep red or even purple at onset.

- Swelling and stiffness of joint are markedly present, and it may also feel hot.

- Fever ranging from 100F-102.2F, with or without chills.

- Inflammation of joint accompanied by tenderness, with decreased mobility of the joint.

- Persistent discomfort as the joint inflammation and pain can last for days or weeks.

- In chronic cases, nodular masses of uric acid crystals (tophi) gets deposited in different soft tissues of the body. It is most commonly found as hard nodules around the fingers, elbow and the big toe. On repeated attack, the tophi may become swollen and tender.

- If we have high levels of uric acid in our body that our kidneys cannot keep up with, the uric acid then builds up and crystallizes. These uric acid crystals settle in the urinary tract and cause kidney stones. These kidney stones may cause symptoms such as pain in the back, abdomen or groin, chills, fever, nausea, vomiting and bloody urine.

Diagnosis of Gout

1. Aspiration of synovial fluid (arthrocentesis) or of tophaceous material reveals needle-like intracellular crystals of sodium urate.

Monosodium urate monohydrate crystals in synovial fluid taken from an inflamed joint or tophus establishes the diagnosis.

Serum uric acid is above normal, although hyperuricemia isn’t specifically diagnostic of gout.

2. X-rays are normal initially; however, in chronic gout, X-rays show “punched out” erosions, sometimes with periosteal overgrowth. Outward displacement of the overhanging margin from the bone contour characterizes gout.

Urinary uric acid is usually higher in secondary gout than in primary gout.

3. ESR 

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and white blood cell (WBC) count may be elevated, and the WBC count differential shows increased immature neutrophils (bands) in acute attacks.

4. S.Uric Acid

Homeopathic Medicine for Uric Acid Control

1. Colchicum –

- Colchicum is especially indicated in cases where high uric acid levels give rise to the onset of gout.

- There may be a sharp pain in the great toe.

- The affected parts may be swollen and very hot to touch.

- There could be great sensitivity to touch along with extreme pain. The pains could be more intense in the evening and at night.

- Slightest effort to move the legs gives rise to a sharp, shooting and unbearable pain in the toe.

- Walking may also be difficult.

- The person needing this remedy has intense swelling and pain in the big toe that is worse from motion.

- The toe pain also worsens from slightest touch, with the tendency of evening aggravation of the toe pain.

- There may be aversion to smell of food as soon as served.

- Worse by motion, touch or mental effort.

- Better by warmth, rest or sitting.

- Gout and rheumatism in smokers.

2. Benzoic Acid –

- Benzoic Acid is a medicine for uric acid that is indicated when the signs of high uric acid show urinary symptoms.

- Uric acid crystals may be deposited in the kidneys or the urinary tract, giving rise to stones.

- On examination, the urine may exhibit very high levels of uric acid. The color of urine may also keep changing from dark brown to pale yellow.

- Benzoic acid may also be indicated when there are joint complaints, like a crackling sensation in the joints.

- The great toe may be swollen, causing difficulty in walking or even moving the limb.

- Cracking in the knee joint on movement may also be felt.

- In some cases, nodes from the deposition of urate crystals may be present on the knees.

- Homeopathic medicine Benzoicum Acidum also works well in cases of knee pain gets worse from drinking wine.

- It is also indicated as a general medicine in all cases of raised uric acid levels.

3. Ledum Pal –

- Ledum pal is indicated when the high levels of uric acid in the blood result in the deposition of the crystals in the joint spaces.

- The first attack of pain could be triggered by an increased intake of meat or alcohol.

- Ledum Pal is a very beneficial medicine for gout leading to ankle pain.

- The person needing Ledum Pal has pain and swelling in the ankle.

- The pain from the ankle may radiate up the leg, and movement tends to intensify the ankle pain.

- Better by cold application.

- There is deposition of chalk stones in finger joints, wrists and toes.

- Irritable patient with desire to be alone.

Pain may be caused by alcoholism, insect stings, and punctured wound.

- Pain worse by warm applications.

4. Guaiacum –

- It is a well-indicated remedy to treat high uric acid levels and works well in chronic cases where the deformities and contractures set in.

- Gout engrafted on syphilitic or tubercular constitutions

- Intolerance to heat in any form, the affecting joints being extremely hot to touch, bad smell from the body are other symptoms.

- It is given in acute cases where the affected limb is painful, stiff and immobile.

- The leg and ankle bones are especially affected shooting pain in legs from feet to knees.

- Pains in tibia.

- Better by cold bath and cold application.

5. Lithium Carb –

- Lithium Carb is a medicine used to treat raised uric acid levels.

- The high levels of uric acid give rise to an unusual stiffness all over the body.

- Another peculiar feature is itching all over the skin of the joints.

- The pains are relieved by pouring hot water.

- Uric acid may get deposited in the joint spaces to give rise to nodosities which can be felt externally.

- The nodes may also be felt in the finger joints. In severe cases, they may be felt in the ear pinna.

6. Bryonia alba –

- Pain with inflammation, which is aggravated by movement and relieved by moderate pressure and rest.

- There is inflammation of joints which are hot and swollen.

- The patient feels chilly.

-Thirsty for large amount of water at small interval with mouth dryness.

7. Berberis vulgaris –

- Pain in heels relieved by putting most of the weight on them.

- Arthritic affection if attended by renal sticking pain and backache.

- This urine of this remedy corresponds to many cases of gout, yet it will be rarely indicated unless the characteristic tearing cutting pains are present.

- These pains are in the renal region and extend down the ureters to the bladder or into pelvis and hips.

- The urine is hot, dark or bright yellow or blood red, with white, grayish or bright red mealy sediment, or red granules, or yellowish red crystals.

8. Lycopodium –

- When red sand appears in the urine, our first thoughts is for Lycopodium, and indeed it will clear up many cases of gout.

Its general digestive disturbances, flatulent conditions are often met with in gout.

- Particularly is it indicated by its scanty, high-colored urine depositing a red or yellowish red sandy sediment.

- It has severe backache relieved by passing urine.

- Burning between scapulae, and the 4 to 8 P.M. aggravations are useful characteristics to decide the choice of this remedy.

9. Formic Acid and Formica Rufa –

- Gouty pains due to urates and albumin in urine.

- Inflammation of joints which are very painful.

- They are worse on motion, by cold or before storm.

- Better on pressure.

10. Kali carb –

- Pains stitching, stabbing and burning character relieved temporarily by cold application and not by rest or motion.

- The patient shrieks on account of pain.

- Backache accompanied by great weakness and profuse sweating.

- If he covers the painful part, the pain goes to the uncovered part.

- Aggravation after eating and uncovering.

Food That Decreases Uric Acid Naturally

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