Gout
How acupuncture helps gouty arthritis
Gout
Gout is a very common form of arthritis. It primarily affects joints in the feet of older males. It appears overnight or within 24 hours and causes intense pain, swelling and red skin. The big toe is the most common site affected by this condition.
What are the treatment options?
Usually your doctor will prescribe you a medication to control your symptoms or/and to reduce the uric acid levels. However, if you believe that taking a tablet a day is not a solution, and if you are looking for another effective way to manage gout, acupuncture may be for you.
What causes Gout?
Uric acid forms tiny crystals in a joint. These microscopic crystals set off inflammation causing the pain and swelling.
Uric acid is physiologically present in our blood. Normal amounts of it cause no harm. Increased amounts may lead to gouty arthritis, kidney stones and even kidney failure.
How acupuncture helps gout?
Various research has shown numerous mechanisms helping acupuncture treatment of gouty arthritis:
- Acupuncture reduces production of uric acid and promotes its excretion (Xie 2007);
- Acupuncture restores metabolic pathways that are disturbed in individuals with gout.(Wen 2011);
- Reduces inflammation, by promoting release of vascular and immunomodulatory factors (Zijlstra 2003; Kavoussi 2007);
- Increases local microcirculation (Komori 2009);
Research revealed acupuncture to be more effective than Zyloprim in treatment of this painful condition and showed a similar reduction of uric acid in blood and urine.
Acupuncture may be administered alone or together with the medication. In either case, it is a good idea, to monitor the amounts of uric acid by a yearly blood test.
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