Get rid of Gout (Vatrakta) : Diagnosis, Treatment & Tips.

Brief introduction to Gout  :  Gout is known as VataRakta in Ayurveda. Nowadays its treatment is much effectivly done by Ayurveda medicine.   Charak Samhita, Ashtang Hridaya & Madhav Nidan elaborated VataRakta in great details.     Gout is a painful and strong disabling rheumatic disease. It is a main forms of arthritis. 5% arthritis patients are gouty. In the U.S. it around 840 out of every 100,000 people. Historical records for gout have been found dating back over 2000 years. Gout was first described by Hippocrates, High levels uric acid in the blood is the main feature of Gout. If the kidneys are unable to eliminate uric acid efficiently from our body, blood uric acid levels will increase. A hardened form of uric acid e.g. sodium urate may then be deposited around joints.

– Gout may be confused from the symptoms of the diseases like : Pseudogout, Rheumatoid arthritis, Psoriatic arthritis, Infection etc. A proper diagnosis is essential.

Diagnostic Procedures Methods & Techniques :

Physical examination and review of medical history : Family medical history and a physical examination helps to diagnose the disease. The presence of tophi below the skin and red shiny skin above the affected area can indicate gout. However a more detail medical examination is required to distinguish from the other conditions listed above.

Blood test : It is used to measure levels of uric acid in the blood. This is not a reliable method. During gout attack blood uric acid levels may lie within the normal range. Also, high uric acid levels don't always indicate the presence of gout.

X-rays : X-rays can be taken to show tophi crystals around the joints and under the skin. However, X-rays of affected joints often show the joints to be normal so may not help in the diagnosis.

Arthrocentesis : It is a more reliable method. Using a syringe and needle a synovial fluid sample is taken from an affected joint. The synovial fluid is analysed under a microscope. The presence of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals in the fluid indicates the presence of gout.
Treatment of Gout in to Ayurveda : 
Common Herbal Drugs for Gout : Guggul : Sinhnad, Gokhshuradi, Kaishor Mahayograj (Sharngdhar Sanhita), Yograj, Panch Tikta Ghirta.

Bhasma : Shrung (Ras Tarangini), Shankha (Siddha Yog Sangraha), Praval (Ayurved Saar Sangraha), Swarna Makshik (Rasendra Saar Sangraha).

Arishtha/Asava : Dashmularishtha, Chandanasava, Maha Manjishthadyarishtha (Siddha Yog Snagrah)

Rasa Kalpa/Vati/ Mandur : Samshamni, Gandhak Rasayan (Ayurved Prakash), Punarnavadi Mandur (Ayurved Saar Sangraha)

Herbs : Lahsun (Garlic), Guggul (Commiphora mukul), Sallaki (Boswelia sarrata)

Ayurvedic Suppliments : Kaishore Gugglu, Guduchyadi taila, Panchtikta ghrita, Balarista.

Lifestyle : The patient should not perform any fast paced exercise. Patient should not sit idle either. Exposure to cold wind and rain, and cold-water bath are strictly contra-indicated. Oil massage is beneficial

Diet : Freshly harvested rice and wheat should not be given to the patient. Old rice, wheat, moong dal, garlic, onion, bitter gourd, papaya and green banana can be taken by the patient. High fibre diet is the best diet for this disease. Butter, Milk and high protein diet will be avoided , and any other sour articles of food, heavy food articles and fried things are prohibited

Yoga : Sukshma Vyayama, Forward bending, Lotus pose.

Extra tips and procedures :

Protect yourself from aggravation of vata (about vata please search in net).

• The blood of the patient of Vata Rakta (gout) should be let out, in small quantities, at many times after oleation therapy. If pain, redness, pricking pain and burning sensation are present, blood should be got sucked by jalauka i.e. medicated leeches.
• Eranda taila should be consumed mixed with milk to produce purgations in the patient who has great increase of dosha; after it gets digested (and after purgations) he should eat boiled rice along with milk.
• Cold application are beneficial In gout, when there is predominance of pitta and rakta, plosha or blisters & blebs, osha or localised burning sensation, pain, redness, sweating and avadarana or laceration and abrasion will develop by heat or by warm applications.
• If tingling sensation, itching, pain and burning sensation are present srnga-alabu i.e. sucking horn or gourd is used.
• When the disease/lesion is found spreading from place to place, either pracchana  or scratching the skin or siravyadha (venesection) is recommended.
• Blood should not be let out when there is debility of the body, dryness and predominance of vata; vata getting aggravated (increased) by loss of blood from blood-letting. Which may produces profound swelling, stiffness, tremors, diseases of tendons, and veins, debility and many other disorders of vata origin.
• Purgation therapy should be given after proper oleation therapy. Purgative drugs mixed with fats e.g. medicated ghee/oil.
• In gout having predominance of vata, the patient should be made to drink old ghee. Ghrta prepared with decoction of Draksha and Madhuka, added with Sitopala or sugar candy should be consumed; or milk boiled with addition of fresh juice of Guduchi; or drink the mixture of taila (oil), milk and sarkara or sugar boiled together.
• In Vatarakta caused by pitta, decoction of vari, tikta, patola, triphala and amrta should be consumed. Also ghee or milk boiled with drugs of sweet and bitter tastes should be consumed. 
• Basti (enema therapy) is the best treatment of vatarakta especially for those who have pain in the rectum, flanks, thighs, joints, bones and abdomen.
• When kapha is predominant, the decoction of musta, dhatri and haridra or of triphala or of guduchi, whichever is suitable, should be consumed mixed with honey
• After administering the appropriate sneha or fat to drink, he should be given mild vamana emetic drugs and then rukshana i.e. therapy creating dryness inside.
• Decoction of kokilaksha consumed followed by partaking its leaves only as food, cures gout just like the practice of compassion cures anger.
• Medicated oil prepared with madhu ucchista i.e. bee's vax, manjishta, sarjarasa and sariva-known as pinda taila-used for abhyanga (anointing and massage) relieves the pain of vatrakta.
• The Uttana kind of vatrakta (gout) should be treated with lepana (application of pastes), abhyanga (anointing with fats) parisheka (pouring liquids on the body) and avagaha (immersing the body in liquids), the gambhira kind of gout by vireka
• (Purgation), Asthapana (decoction enema) and snehapana (drinking of fats). · When vata and kapha are predominant, warm applications of pastes etc. are beneficial; if cold applications are made, burning sensation, swelling, pain and itching will increase, due to rigidity (caused by cold).

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