In Doubt about Gout?

Hi, I’m Dr. Marie Starling

At The Healing Center Denver, we help people like you reach their full potential.

I specialize in adjunctive care for internal disorders, autoimmune conditions, IBS, thyroid symptoms, diabetes, adrenal fatigue and other complex health issues.

Gout is a form of arthritis that this characterized by sudden reoccurring attacks of severe pain, redness, tenderness, heat/warmth, and swelling in the joints of the body. The metatarsal-phalangeal joint is the most commonly affected area of the body, but it can also affect other major joints of the body (ex: hand, wrist, elbow, knee, ankle, etc…). Gout is commonly caused by an increased intake in foods that are rich in purines and/or a dysfunction of the kidney’s ability to properly excrete uric acid from the body. This elevation of uric acid in the blood causes deposits of crystals in the joints, tendons, and surrounding tissues.

While there can be various explanations for the diagnosis and differentiation of gout, Traditional Chinese Medicine typically starts treatment by focusing on a patient’s diet and the digestive system. As your Functional Medicine Specialist, we perform Functional Medicine Exams as well as the Traditional Chinese Medicine approach to create a comprehensive plan specific to our patients needs, and we treat gout regularly. While Western medicine also recognizes the importance of diet for gout it often resorts to NSAIDS for pain and management of swelling, while other drugs like colchicine are used to treat the gout itself. Unfortunately, the continued use of these drugs often leads to more gastrointestinal issues in the patient – making the matter potentially worse in the long-run. Occasionally, drugs are needed but we recommend using them only as PART of a comprehensive plan to heal the whole body.

When not under care at The Healing Center, care should be taken to eliminate or reduce any purine-rich foods from the diet (heavy meats, spinach, asparagus, mushrooms, cauliflower, and seafood). The patient should also reduce his/her intake of alcohol in their diet. In the instance of an acute gout attack, distilled water (not tap water) can be consumed to help flush out the uric acid for the short-term, as well as adding Vitamin C, bioflavonoids, and concentrated strawberry, cherry, and blueberry juice.