Uric Acid – Is it harmful?

When we hear that uric acid is excess, many people think that it is an unnecessary acid which may cause health issues. Our cells go degeneration and it’s a non-stop process till the end of a human life. When cells die and new ones are formed, its main factor – Purine breaks down and uric acid is formed. Uric acid is also formed when purine in food breaks down.

Uric acid reaches our kidneys and is flushed out through urine. But when uric acid is formed in excess or if it’s not flushed out of the body its level may increase in blood. If so crystal like structures may get deposited in joints mainly in toss which leads to pain. Discomforts and pain may start slowly, and if it sustains it may lead to gouty arthritis which results in prolonged hours of pain.

Apart from joints, it affects the functioning of kidneys. If level of uric acid is high in sugar, it can lead to severe conditions like heart attack and stroke. Through good food habits and medicines we can keep joint pain because of uric acid under control.

What’s the maximum level of uric acid?

Its standard value is 3.5 – 5.5 mg/100 ml, both in males and females. If the value falls between 5.5 and 7, certain food controls are needed, and if it’s above, medicine is needed along with food control. Through blood test we can find uric acid level. In some cases, even if the reading is normal, gout may appear. To confirm it, Synovial fluid from toss joint is taken and tested. While observing through microscope, if needle like crystals are seen, it’s gout. You can conduct blood tests frequently once in three months to detect the disease as early as possible.

Do you have these symptoms?

1. Severe pain of toss and foot, and severe pain when exposed to air are the major symptoms.

2. Swelling, reddish colour and burning feel of fingers, knee joint, anklet etc. Slowly the pain spreads to other joints too.

3. In some cases, symptoms are not shown. But the level of uric acid may be high in blood. In such cases when blood tests are conducted for other disease conditions, the high level of uric acid may be noted.

The disease grows through 4 stages

First stage – Without any symptoms uric acid level in blood increases

Stage two – Uric acid crystalizes and gets deposited in joints (acute gout). Sudden pain in joints is its symptom. The pain appears for the second time after many months.

Stage three – The intervals between the occurrence of pain start decreasing, and this stage is known as Acute on Chronic Gout. Pain also turns severe.

Stage four – Also known as chronic gout with tophi, the deposited crystals in joints may surface on the skin, and can destroy the joints too. It can take more than 5 years to reach this stage.

The disease is seen less in ladies

Estragon hormones present in woman’s body is one of the reasons why this disease is comparatively less in females. This hormone has the capability to flush out excess uric acid through urine. For the same reason, after menopause there is more chance in ladies to get this disease, and special care is needed at age 50+.

Difference between rheumatoid arthritis and gout

Main symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are swelling and pain of joints. When you wake up in the morning, joints may be stiff. If proper treatment is not given at early stage, this condition may disfigure joints. But gout mainly affects one joint. Unexpected severe pain known as gout attack is not frequent. But pain may surface even during deep sleep.

Why uric acid increases?

Bad life style is one of the major reasons. During cell division, purine is formed inside the body. Along with it if uric acid reaches body in excess, our body may find it difficult to flush it out completely. Liver plays an important role in digestion and kidney plays an important role in purifying blood, and the bad function of any one of these can lead to the increase in level of uric acid.

Certain drugs prescribed for high bp and low dose aspirin tablets given to reduce swelling and pain can increase the level of uric acid. High blood pressure and low functioning of thyroid gland are other reasons. They are not easily passed hereditarily. Yet through bad food habits, hereditary factors can take an upper hand.

It’s high in kids too

Uric acid fluctuations are visible in teenagers too. It’s mainly seen as a life style disease. Junk food, soft drinks and excess use of non-vegetarian food are major reasons. If you regularly eat sweet and fat content food and use carbonated drinks instead of fresh water, there are more chances to get this condition. If you change such bad habits right from the childhood, you may not face severe pain conditions in the early teens or so.

Some parents tend to give more eggs and meat food to kids, thinking that they are good for child’s growth. Apart from it, when they eat junk food from outside, level of uric acid may go high. In such cases, check the functioning of their kidney, fatty liver etc.

Red meat and beer are not good for diseases related to Uric acid

Disease related to uric acid also has one pet name, disease of beer and beef. Though alcohol content is comparatively low in beer, the level of purine is high. Not just beer, all the drinks belonging to alcoholic beverages has high level of purine, and hence can increase the level of uric acid.

Apart from red meat like beef and mutton, marine food items like tuna, crab, oyster, prawns and mussels can also increase uric acid, because of the presence of purine. Though chicken is count in the list of white meat, thigh portion is categorized under red meat.

If you have high level of uric acid, reduce the intake of cauliflower, cabbage and certain species of mushrooms. White bread and cake with yeast content is not good for you too. When yeast causes fermentation in food products, purine is formed.

Reduce your weight if you are obese

Overweighed persons have more number of cells and for the same reason, through the process of cell regeneration more amount of purine is released into the blood. In most cases, the intake of excess calories leads to overweight, and hence should be reduced. Try to keep Body mass index (BMI) in equilibrium. If BMI is above 27, the person is obese. Dieting is good, but never go empty stomach. Mild exercises are good, but not hard ones. Otherwise uric acid may increase in both these cases. Reduce high calorie food and fast food from diet, that’s enough. Also remember, when you weigh excess, it adds excess pressure to joints giving pain.

Check liver and kidney

If tests show high level of uric acid in blood, functioning of liver and kidneys should also be tested. Liver functioning test, renal functioning test and scanning may be needed. Conduct an abdominal scan to check the conditions of fatty liver, and also check the formation of kidney stones because in more than 50% cases, higher level of uric acid results in stone formation. When they get deposited, it can result in problems to kidney functioning. If you have pain in stomach and on either side of backbone, conduct a test for uric acid.

What food items can be taken?

You can’t say which food item can bring sudden decrease in the level of uric acid. Just avoid food items with purine content. Through controlled food, you can control the level of uric acid too. Experts say, we should include 500 gms of fruits and vegetables together in our daily diet. Make it a habit to avoid problems in future. A person should also drink at least 1.5 litres of water every day. Those with high level of uric acid consume less amount of water, there are more chances for the formation of kidney stones. Urine should go out in crystal white colour. That much amount of water is needed for our body.

Eat normal vegetables and leafy vegetables daily. Ladies should consume 100 gm leafy vegetables and men need only 100 gm. Consume two cups of vegetables every day. Reduce the use of jaggery if the level of uric acid is high. Fresh juices can never increase the level of uric acid, but packaged juices and soft drinks can. Preservatives, colours and artificial sweeteners are added in such drinks which are harmful to body. Such drinks can completely destroy the level of uric acid in blood. You can prepare fresh juices at home, and fresh lime and musambi are the best.

What Ayurveda says…..

Ayurveda suggests good food habits so that such diseases stay at bay. In addition to it, digestion process should also be perfect. Apart from reducing the purine rich food, reduce excess chilli, sour and oil fried foods which can purify blood. Hotness of red chillies and bird’s eye chilli should be avoided. Substitute tamarind with pot tamarind or tomatoes. Also reduce deep fry and dip fry foods.

Try to follow a strict discipline in serving food. Eat every day almost at the same time at regular intervals. When you make it a habit, body already knows your meal time, and it makes preparations for digestion in advance. Digestion conducted at that time will be perfect and related metabolic activities also happen in a better way. Reduce non-vegetarian food, and add more quantity of fibre rich food. Apple, Kerala banana, orange, bright coloured vegetables, brown rice and grains without removing husk can be included in diet.

Conditions which increase pain – also known as pain triggers

If you are depressed with your health state, it can act as pain trigger. Issues related to uric acid can be treated, and so remain tension-free. You need to take medicines and also need to bring certain controls in food habits. Job pressure and stress and problems in personal life can also become pain triggers. Joint pain is common in those days which you consume beer, and the condition may sustain for next few days too. If you have pain and swelling in joints, exercises can only increase pain.

Medicines can give good results

Medicines are available to control the level of uric acid. Doctors normally give pain killers to those who approach with severe pain because of gout. After that medicines will be prescribed to flush out uric acid. Once again blood tests will be conducted. Even while conditions have reached normal, the patient may need to continue his medicines. If you don’t consume medicines for 4 or 5 years, the disease may return.

In Ayurveda, treatment of Arthritis is given to the diseases related to uric acid level. The main issue is the waste that is to be flushed out gets deposited in body, which pollutes blood. When uric acid crystalizes, your joints are in deep trouble. Kaisoru gulugulu and Kanchanadi gulugulu are prescribed by Ayurvedic doctors to control the level of uric acid, and lessen the pain and discomforts. To get a cooling effect, Guluji is also given.  

When crystals are formed, it blocks the free passage of blood. If crystals get deposited in fingers, blood circulation to other parts of hands may be blocked. In this case blood circulation should be increased, and Panchakarma treatment of Ayurveda can give better results.

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