High Uric Acid | Gount | Gouty Arthritis | Rheumatoid Arthritis:

What is Uric Acid and How to Control it: High Uric acid in the blood will ultimately lead to gout. Gout refers to a certain form of inflammation of the joints and swellings of a recurrent type. Although chronic in character, it breaks in acute attacks. It is a disease of the wealthy and chiefly affects middle-aged men. Women, after menopause, are also sometimes affected by this disease. High uric acid was known to the physicians of ancient Greece and Rome. The classical description was written in 1663 by Sydenham, himself a life-long sufferer, who clearly differentiated it from other joint disorders. It was recognized in the 18th century that large enjoyable meals and the consumption of alcoholic drinks were often the preludes to an attack of gout ( whose primary reason is high uric acid for certain period). High Uric Acid is a common disease nowadays due to lifestyle and dietary imbalances. Uric Acid Symptoms and its effects: Initially, there might be no symptoms of high uric acid, however, if its high consistently for some period it starts giving pain in joints specially knee etc. Gout is usually accompanied by acute pain in the big toe, which becomes tender, hot and swollen in a few hours. In severe cases, it is almost impossible to put any weight on the affected foot during the acute stage of the disease. It may also similarly affect other joints such as the knees and the wrists, and sometimes more than one joint may be affected at a time. The attack usually occurs at midnight or in the early hours of the morning, when the patient is suddenly awakened. The acute attack generally lasts for a week or so. During this period the patient may run a slight fever, and feel disinclined to eat. His general health generally remains unaffected. The attack may occur again after several weeks or months. The interval becomes shorter if the disease is not treated properly. The joint generally becomes damaged by arthritis. This is chronic gout, in which chalky lumps of uric acid crystals remain in the joint and also form under the skin. Another serious complication of high uric acid is kidney stones containing uric acid (urate), causing severe colic pains in the stomach. In some cases, the kidneys become damaged and do not function properly. This is a serious condition as the poisonous waste products which are normally removed by the kidneys accumulate in the blood. Causes of Uric Acid: The chief cause of gout is the formation of uric acid crystals in the joints, skin and kidneys. Uric acid is an end product of the body’s chemical processes. Those affected by gout have a high level of uric acid than the normal, due either to the formation of increased or reduced amounts of acid being passed out by the kidneys in the urine. This uric acid usually remains dissolved in the blood. But when the blood becomes too full of it, the uric acid forms needle-shaped crystals in the joints which bring about attacks of gout. Heredity is an important factor in causing this disease and certain races are prone to gout. Other causes include excessive intake of alcoholic drinks, regular eating of foods rich in protein and carbohydrates and lack of proper exercise. Stress is also regarded as an important cause of gout. During the alarm reaction, millions of body cells are destroyed and large quantities of uric acid freed from these cells enter the tissues after being neutralized by sodium. Uric Acid Treatment: Ideally, the treatment should start as soon as high uric acid levels are found in the blood. For this, after 28 years of age, both men and women should get their blood chemistry checked at least once a year. Early identification can help to treat high uric acid at a primitive level so that its urate won’t be converted into crystals and the disease should not lead to a gout formation. For an acute attack, there is no better remedy than a fast. The patient should undertake a fast for five to seven days on carrot juice and water. Sometimes the condition may worsen in the early stages of fasting when uric acid, dissolved by juices, is thrown into the bloodstream for elimination. This usually clears up if fasting is continued. In severe cases, it is advisable to undertake a series of short fasts for three days or so rather than one long fast. A warm-water enema should be used daily during the period of fasting to cleanse the bowels. High Uric Acid Diet: Breakfast: Fruits such as oranges, apples, figs, apricot, mangoes, whole wheat bread or jau ka daila and milk or butter-milk. Lunch : Steamed vegetables such as lettuce, beets, celery, water-cress, turnips, carrots, tomatoes, cabbage and potatoes, chappatis of whole wheat flour, cottage cheese and butter-milk. Dinner: Sprouts such as alfalfa and sabat mung, a good-sized salad of raw vegetables such as carrots, cabbage, tomatoes, whole wheat bread and butter. The patient should avoid all purine and uric acid-producing foods such as all meats, eggs, and fish. Meats are especially harmful specially the way cooking is done in Pakistan. It meat is required it should be mutton with (shorba) and cooked in black pepper. High Uric acid patient should also avoid all intoxicating liquors, tea, coffee, sugar, white flour and its products and all canned and processed foods. Red pepper should be replaced with black pepper. Foods high in potassium such as potatoes, bananas, leafy green vegetables, beans and raw vegetable juices are protective against gout. Carrot juice in combination with juices of beet and cucumber is especially valuable. 100 ml. each of beet and cucumber juices should be mixed in 300 ml of carrot juice to make 500 ml. of combined juice. Uric Acid Test: Uric acid blood levels and high uric acid chart should be built on below mentioned blood test markers. A Uric acid of above 7 mg/dL in men or 6 mg/dL in women are classified as hyperuricemia (high uric acid) (although some laboratories and research groups use different limits). High uric acid levels have now been found to be significantly associated with risks for decreasing kidney function. High Uric Acid Medicine: Uri Pro tablets is a polyherbal formulation which is primarily based on Colchicum autumnale. Colchicum is known for its anti-inflammatory properties along with reducing high uric acid levels. It’s natural and safe for high uric acid, gout and rheumatoid arthritis.