ARTHRITIS / Gout

The word "arthritis" literally means joint inflammation ("arthr-" means joint; "-itis" means inflammation). It refers to more than 100 different diseases. These diseases usually affect the area in or around joints, such as muscles and tendons. Some of these diseases can also affect other parts of the body, including the skin and internal organs. Arthritis usually causes stiffness, pain and fatigue. The most common diseases mong arthritis are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout and increasingly, fibromyalgia.

Many types of arthritis show signs of joint inflammation: swelling, stiffness, tenderness, redness or warmth. These joint symptoms may be accompanied by weight loss, fever or weakness.

When these symptoms last for more than two weeks, inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis may be the cause. Joint inflammation may also be caused by infection, which can lead to septic arthritis. Degenerative joint disease (osteoarthritis) is the most common type of arthritis; joint inflammation is not a prominent feature of this condition.

Causes of Arthritis

Arthritis involves the breakdown of cartilage. Cartilage normally protects the joint, allowing for smooth movement. Cartilage also absorbs shock when pressure is placed on the joint, like walking. Without the usual amount of cartilage, the bones rub together, causing pain, swelling (inflammation), and stiffness. Other causes may include broken bone, infection (usually caused by bacteria or viruses), an autoimmune disease (the body attacks itself because the immune system believes a body part is foreign) and general "wear and tear" on joints. Often, the inflammation goes away after the injury has healed, the disease is treated, or the infection has been cleared.

With some injuries and diseases, the inflammation does not go away or destruction results in long-term pain and deformity. It leads to chronic arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common type and is more likely to occur as age goes up. It may occur in any of the joints, but most commonly in hips, knees or fingers. Risk factors for osteoarthritis include being overweight, previously injuring the affected joint, using the affected joint in a repetitive action that puts stress on the joint (baseball players, ballet dancers, and construction workers are all at risk).

Further, the cause is different from one type of arthritis to another. Following are some types of arthritis and their causes.

Osteoarthritis - Trauma/infection/ageing
Rheumatoid arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis
Ankylosing spondylitis and systemic lupus erythematosus - Auto-immune Septic arthritis
Gouty arthritis - Deposition of uric acid crystals in the joints and subsequent inflammation
Pseudo gout - Precipitation of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate crystals in the connective tissues

Arthritis, Gout - Treatment & Homeopathic Medicines

#Colchicum [Colch]
This is the great old school remedy for gout; every case gets it in some form; and, strange to say, in the homoeopathic school it is one of the first remedies thought of, but not every case of arthritic trouble receives Colchicum from the careful homoeopathic prescriber. The typical case calling for Colchicum is where the swelling is red or pale, with extreme tenderness to touch, a tendency to shift about from joint to joint, and pains which are worse on the slightest motion. If the general symptoms of great prostration of the muscular system and abdominal bloating be present Colchicum is the remedy. Gastric symptoms and cardiac complications also characterize. It is more indicated when the smaller joints, fingers, toes, wrists and ankles are affected; the pains are very violent, patient cannot bear to have the parts touched or to have anyone come near him. Arnica has this fear that the part my be hit by anyone passing; it has also arthritic pains in the foot, worse towards evening; and a red big toe joint which feels as though it has been sprained, so Arnica may be indicated well in gout. The Colchicum patient is apt to be exceedingly irritable and the gout is not apt to decrease this irritability. Unless Colchicum be given according to these indications it will do no permanent good. The habit of giving Colchicum to every case of gout in order to palliate the trouble may cause it to attack the heart or fly to other parts. Indeed in potency it is Homoeopathic to gout, with metastasis to the heart. Aconite is most useful in acute attacks of gout in the joints of the feet. It corresponds only to the onset and if continued for a day or two will cure many cases.

#Ledum [Led]
Ledum is a useful remedy in gout as well as in many articular troubles. We have the symptoms that the ball of the great toe is swollen, sore and painful on stepping, drawing pains worse from warmth, pressure and from motion. It has also gouty nodosities in the joints, it differs from Bryonia in having a scanty instead of a profuse effusion; it is, perhaps, better adapted to hot swelling of the hip joint than is Bryonia. All the pains of Ledum travel upwards. Ledum is also useful after abuse of Colchicum. It may be the first remedy to use when the patient comes from allopathic hands, having been dosed with large doses of Colchicum, which is a very asthenic remedy, producing great muscular weakness, as we have seen. Ledum, it must be remembered is a cold remedy, and attending all the symptoms is a general chilliness and lack of animal heat. Another drug having gouty nodosities in the joints is Guaiacum. This remedy has tearing pains in the extremities and contractions ;of the muscles. It is also especially useful for gouty inflammation affecting the knee joint.

#Ammonium phosphoricum [Am-p]
This is a useful remedy in constitutional gout where there are nodosities in the joints. It is not so much a remedy for the acute symptoms, but for chronic cases where there are deposits of urate of soda concretions in the joints and the hands become twisted out of shape. Antimonium crudum has gouty nodes in the joints, but it is easily selected from its gastric symptoms. Urinary symptoms, strong urine, etc., would suggest Benzoic acid, and much red Lycopodium, both ;of which may be found useful in gout. Staphisagria has a similar application to gout when it becomes systematized, as has also Ammonium phosphoricum. Rhododendron has enlargements of the joints not due to gouty deposits, worse during rest and on approach of a storm. Urtica urens. This remedy is said to cure more cases of gout than any other. Under its use pain and swelling subside and large quantities of sand are passed. Picric acid. Halbert mentions this remedy as useful in arthritis deformans, and thinks that treating the disease from the homoeopathic standpoint will yield best results.

Rhododendron chrysanthum Rhododendron has enlargements of the joints not due to gouty deposits, worse during rest and on approach of a storm.

Urtica urens This remedy is said to cure more cases of gout than any other. Under its use pain and swelling subside and large quantities of sand are passed.

Picricum acidum Halbert mentions this remedy as useful in arthritis deformans, and thinks that treating the disease from the homoeopathic standpoint will yield best results.

Twelve tissue homeopathic remedies for arthirits

Ferrum phosphoricum At the commencement this remedy should be given in repeated doses when there are febrile symptoms present, and later on in the disease it may be given as an intercurrent. The joints are painful on moving, motion sets up and increases the pain. Tenalgia crepitans.

Kalium muriaticum In acute arthritis, for the swelling or when the tongue is coated white. It may be alternated with Ferrum phos. Movement aggravates the pains. It is useful especially after Ferrum phos. Natrium muriaticum Chronic arthritis, joints crack (if tongue and other symptoms correspond, acts probably by increasing the eliminations of the urate of sodium). Synovitis, gout, sore hamstrings (verified).

Natrium muriaticum Acute gout (after Ferr. phos.) Chronic gout, profuse, sour-smelling sweat. Rheumatic arthritis, especially of finger joints. Urine dark red. Pains go suddenly to heart; sore hamstrings. It seems to have also a marked effect in hot painful swellings of the knee joint.

Magnesium phosphoricum Useful as an intercurrent remedy for the pains (violent). The keynote is excruciating pains, spasmodic in character.

Kalium sulphuricum In rheumatic arthritis where the pains shift from one joint to another, aggravated by heat. Shifting and wandering rheumatic pains in the joints. Fungoid arthritis. Tumor albus, white swelling.

Silicea terra Suppuration of the joints.

Calcarea sulphurica Suppurative process in the joints.

Natrium sulphuricum In acute cases (attacks) of gout. This remedy should be alternated with Ferrum phos.. In chronic gout it alone suffices. Gout in the feet, acute and chronic. Rheumatic arthritis, especially in joints of fingers, pains suddenly go to heart, urine dark-red.

Calcarea phosphorica Rheumatic gout worse at night and in bad weather. Hygroma patellae. Hydrops genu.

Calcarea fluorica Gouty enlargements of the finger-joints.

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