An Attack of Tiny Jagged Crystals
The joints in the big toe and elsewhere in the feet, ankles, knees, wrists, and hands become warm and tender. The skin over them looks as if it had been infected. The joint fills with a salt of uric acid known to scientists as monosodium urate. This byproduct of the production of urine mixes with the fluid in the joint and forms sharp, tiny crystals.Arthritis Made Worse by the Immune System
Then the immune system attacks. The immune system sends specialized white blood cells known as neutrophils to get the monosodium urate crystals out of the joint. The white blood cells accumulate, making the joint even more painful and swollen.Standard Medications as Bad as the Disease
Standard medical treatment for gout is a drug called colchicine. The drug works for 75 per cent of the gout sufferers who use, and it usually works within just 8 to 12 hours. The problem with colchicine is that it can cause bone marrow dysfunction, low red blood cell counts, low white blood cell counts, depression, hair loss, liver damage, lung problems, and epileptic seizures. The side effects of colchicine can be every bit as bad as the gout it treats.Two Alternative Treatments for Gout that Work
Fortunately, there are two alternative treatments for gout that work in almost every case.1. Eat Less Animal Protein
Especially foods that are high in the kind of DNA and RNA known as the purines. These foods include anchovies, brewer's yeast, bouillon cubes, brains, caviar, dried beans and peas, goose, gravy, heart, pickled or fried herring, kidneys, beef or pork liver, mackerel, meat extracts, partridge, fresh or canned sardines, scallops, shrimp, sweetbreads, and yeast extracts (such as Vegemite and Marmite). The DNA and RNA in these foods overwhelms an enzyme system that keeps the crystals that cause gout from forming. It also helps to limit consumption of asparagus, chicken, mushrooms, and spinach.2. Eat Montmorency Cherries
Eat at least a cup a day. Canned cherries are acceptable for this purpose. Although cherries have been reported as a reliable treatment for gout in the medical literature since 1951, most doctors do not know about this recommendation.And consider treating gout pain with ultrasound. Combined with other commonsense management of this chronic condition, ultrasound technology may be exactly what you need to achieve complete freedom from pain.
