Gouty Arthritis and its Affect on The Complete Body

Gouty Arthritis is one of the Arthropathies, which basically means "Sick Joints". It is usually just referred to as Gout. Men seem to be more likely to get gout than women. Ever woken up in the middle of the night with a pain in the toe? Gouty Arthritis usually affects the first joint of the Big Toe. Often, jokingly, thought to be the result of "High Living". Of course this is not entirely true.

Gout is caused by a build up of Uric Acid in the blood. Uric acid is normally flushed away by the kidneys but if they can't flush it away acid crystals form and are deposited in the joints causing inflammation, swelling and pain.

If it is not recognized and treated promptly the condition will worsen and become more swollen, red and very sensitive.

To get relief, until you can see your doctor, apply a cold pack to the affected area. Do not leave the cold pack on for more than 20 minutes or you could damage your skin.

To speed up recovery you should pay attention to diet. Don't eat things like Liver, Anchovies, Asparagus, Mushrooms. Eat more Blueberries, Cherries, and Strawberries. These berries contain a substance which helps to neutralize Purines, which cause Gout.

Lupus is another Autoimmune disease. It usually affects more women than men. It causes joint pain, swelling in the joints, fatigue, sometimes skin rash. It can also affect other organs. So if it is not treated can cause some serious problems.

Lupus is sometimes confused with Fibromyalgia another arthropathy (in other words form of Arthritis). Fibronyalgia or Fibrositis as it is sometimes called seems to affect mainly muscles, and lower back joints.

One of my Mentors, Dr. Mercola has some very good information on Arthritis. You can view this information here:- What you should know about Arthritis.

Arthritis and how it affects The Complete Body is very complex. Firstly, how can you be sure that your pain is from Arthritis? Also, while Gouty Arthritis affects mainly the big toe, it can also affect other parts, namely the Elbow. Hence the term Gouty Elbow. The joints of the fingers can be affected by Gouty Arthritis as well. Of course elbows can also be affected be Arthritis or Tennis Elbow.

Where you are feeling the pain may not be where the pain is coming from. Let me explain. You see our Complete Body works in a strange way. The way that the Nervous System of the body is structured we can feel pain at a certain point but the cause can be somewhere else. This is called Referred Pain. Here is an example from a personal anecdote. Many years ago I was doing some running. I was convinced that I was suffering from "Shin Splints" which sometimes runners do experience. After many months of various types of treatment I discovered that the pain I was experiencing was in fact coming from the lower back.

Emotional or Environmental Stress can also cause The Complete Body to react by creating pain in any part of the Body. This is a Psychosomatic condition. This is one of the worst afflictions we can have. Why? .....

Because the pain is real, the symptoms are real, but there is no medical or physical cause. Here's what happens. You may be feeling severe pain in your joints, legs, or muscles, barely able to walk. You engage in some form of sport or other pleasant activity and Bingo! No sign of pain or discomfort. Ha!, but wait a minute!. Half hour after you return home the pain is back and once more you are "crippled". - Not funny!

Psychosomatic conditions can mimic any condition that the Body can suffer from. Although I have not heard Gouty Arthritis manifesting itself as a psychosomatic condition.

Ever heard of "Phantom Pregnancies"? That is a psychosomatic condition. Another example:- Your kid starts complaining "I'm sick, I don't want to go to school". You may ask "How are you sick? Where does it hurt?" He/she tells you exactly where the discomfort is. Just about the time the School Bell goes the child is feeling fine! You think - to yourself of course! - "That little Scoundrel!". However, later you discover that there has been some emotional trauma involved. Now that is what has caused the problem.

You can start to see, now, how the body works as a complete unit. That is why it is so important to take the holistic approach when treating any condition. The first line of attack in treating Gouty Arthritis, traditionally is to prescribe Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs. They are also a common treatment for Arthritis. Unfortunately they bring with them serious side effects. which include Gastrointestinal Bleeding.

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