What is high uric acid level?
Chemically, uric acid is made by the breakdown of the element purine in the body. This acid is mainly removed from the body by the kidneys, which move the acid out of the body through the urethra. The deposition of excess uric acid in the joints gives rise to pain, inflammations & causes deformity in the joints. This accumulation of uric acid can lead to development of needle like crystals which get deposited in the body's connective tissues giving rise to swelling, redness, pain, heat & stiffness in the joints.
The body is made up of various cells and fibres, which help keep the organs running. It is known to remove various chemicals and minerals from the body. This is because, if you are a vegetarian, then your body is more prone to increase its uric acid levels. There are two main reasons that blood uric acid levels rise: internal accumulation of purines or ingesting more purines through food, or reduced kidney function that increases uric acid levels.
What is Purine?
Purine is nitrogen containing compound it is the end product of purine metabolism, found in high concentrations in protein rich foods like Meat, chicken.
What is Purine metabolism?
The digestion of Protein rich substances by the digestive enzymes of the body & formation of urea uric acid & Creatinine as waste material to be thrown out of the body is called Purine metabolism.
Symptoms of increases uric acid
Redness in that part of due to severe pain, the patient wakes up from sleep; some patients also feel severe pain in the heels and ankles. This pain can also occur in the knees, wrists, elbows and fingers.
In general, only about one-third of people show signs of hyperuricemia. Therefore it is also called asymptomatic hyperuricemia. Although hyperuricemia is not a disease, it can lead to many diseases over time if the level of uric acid is continuously high. A gout attack is usually short lived and lasts for a few days without treatment, it is also possible to experience a mild fever and a loss of appetite during acute gout attacks. If the uric acid level is not controlled, attacks become more frequent and more prolonged, potentially causing joint damage.
Kidney stone
Due to the increase in uric acid in the blood, crystals are formed in the body, which leads to kidney stones. Often these stones are small, which pass out of the body through urine, but when they become large, they can cause blockage in any part of the urinary system. The Effect of increased uric acid in the blood (hyperuricemia) on other parts of the body, uric acid is formed in the body, it is obvious and its increase also affects the rest of the body.
Gout
It is a disease, characterized by joint pain, inability to move, and an increase in uric acid levels in excess of 20% of people with hyperuricemia. In addition to the increase in uric acid level, if the level of uric acid drops rapidly, gout also develops. Typically, gout affects the big toe, but other joints may also be affected by the deposition of urate crystals in the joint cavity and soft tissues around the joint. Arthritis is caused by the deposition of urate crystals in the joint cavity and soft tissues, causing inflammation and severe pain.
Due to increase in uric acid: Sometimes genetic factors also increase uric acid in the body. Apart from this, eating certain foods, which contain high amounts of purines, such as red meat, seafood, lentils, kidney beans, and rice, etc. can also cause high uric acid problems.
Stages of Gout
The Gout occurs in 4 stages, these are as follows
1- Asymptomatic stage
The patient is having high level of uric acid, but doesn't have any symptoms of gout.
2- Acute stage
Acute stages Occurring suddenly, often at night without warning following symptoms usually last 5-10years -Intense joint pain, inflammation, warmth, swelling, redness & tenderness. The tenderness is so intense that even a soft touch with bed sheet of the affected part, can be unbearable.
3-Passive stage
Symptom free period, when there is no pain to the patient & he feels alright. The level of uric acid is high in the body.
4-Chronic stage
A state of chronic or continuous joint disease may develop with progressive joint causing disability & crippling. The symptoms are persistent painful joints, stiffness of joints, and limited motion of the affected joint & decreased kidney functions. This happens only when the patient has not taken medicine. In short life becomes bitter as the patient is now having Gout.
Patient being overweight or obese, taking diuretics
By the Consumption high purine foods and alcohol
Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) decreased kidney function to filter waste products or kidney failure.
Treatments like chemotherapy, which increase the dead cells in the body.
DIAGNOSIS OF HYPERURECEMIA (GOUT)
Joint fluid test
Blood test
X-ray imaging
Dual-energy computerized tomography (DECT)
Treatment of high uric acid
Diet
There is a special uric acid diet chart to control this problem, which if followed strictly gives quick results. So regular exercise is another factor that helps in the digestion process but most importantly the kind of food you take.
What to eat:
- Cherries: Cherries are not only used for cake decoration but are also known as a good medicine because they contain anti-inflammatory substances that prevent crystallization of uric acid and deposition in joints which causes pain and swelling.
- Berries: Apart from cherries, strawberries, blueberries are rich in anti-inflammatory properties super essential to cure high uric acid content in your body.
- This does not mean that we are suggesting you to take less protein, but if the level of uric acid in your body is increasing, then use low-fat dairy products.
- Drink plenty of water: Keep your body hydrated as much as possible, this allows you to easily remove uric acid from your body and for this you should keep drinking water after some time.
- Olive Oil: Cold Pressed Technique Cooking with olive oil made from it will help improve your gout as it has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
What not to eat:
- Reduces eating foods rich in purines such as red meat, seafood, organ meats and some types of food which is rich in high protein beans and refined carbohydrates and vegetables such as asparagus, peas, mushrooms and cabbage.
- Reduce the intake of fructose-rich foods: According to a research, by consuming foods containing fructose, you double the risk of getting arthritis, so avoid the consumption of foods containing fructose as much as possible.
- Reduce the intake of alcohol: Especially if you are troubled by the problem of uric acid, then do not consume alcohol, as it dehydrates your body. Beer is rich in yeast, so it should be avoided. If you want, you can consume wine as it does not affect the level of uric acid.
Controlling uric acid with the help of exercise
Apart from following the uric acid diet chart regularly, it can prove to be very useful for you if you also add some light or low impact exercise to your life. But don't put yourself under too much stress because exercising/practicing shouldn't make the situation worse. Below is a list of some exercises that can help you control your uric acid Exercising helps control gout by lowering uric acid level and to prevent gout attack, regular aerobic exercise is good for gout.
- Seated Forward Bend (in Sanskrit: Paschimottanasana)
- Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose (in Sanskrit: Viparita Karani)
- Shoulder Stand Pose (in Sanskrit: Sarvangasana)
Which herbs are beneficial for uric acid?
Amrita: Reduces degenerative stress, Immunomodulatory action, increases renal perfusion, Controls pain & inflammation, has antimicrobial & diuretic properties, anthelmintic, Carminative
Amalaki: Controls inflammation, Antipyretic & carminative, reduces inflammation, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, antispasmodic action
Sudh Guggal: Carminative, antispasmodic & antiseptic, Controls hormonal imbalance, antibacterial, digestion improving properties, anthelmintic, diuretic
Medication for Gout
G- Amrita
G-amrita is clinically approved poly-herbal approach for hyperuricemia & Gout it also helps in reducing serum uric acid levels. Reducing pain and inflammation of affected joints and reducing reabsorption of uric acid and also exhibit antioxidant activity-Amrita capsule's efficacy was evaluated in department of Pharmaceutical Science, Guru Nanak Dev. University, in Amritsar. G-Amrita was compared with Allopurinol, Diclofenac sodium & Ibuprofen for different parameters. Analgesic effect-It was observed that the pain relieving properties of G-Amrita, when compared to Diclofenac sodium, was equally effective in controlling pain. Anti-inflammatory effect-When G-Amrita was compared with Ibuprofen for evaluating the anti-inflammatory action, it was found reduces the inflammation significantly as is done by the standard drug. Anti hyperuricemia effect -G-Amrita shows significant decrease in uric acid level as compared to control up. This change was comparable with the standard drug Allopurinol. This shows the effectiveness of G-Amrita & justifies the claim that it controls hyperuricemia & maintains uric acid level.