Gout is a disease caused by uric acid metabolism disorder. Currently, Western medicine has issues with drug dependence in the treatment of gout, as well as rebound and relapse after stopping medication and side effects. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treats gout by regulating the balance of yin and yang within the body and improving the overall condition without drug dependence. Here are some common TCM treatment methods:
Dietary Regulation
Both TCM and Western medicine emphasize the impact of diet on disease. It is recommended that patients with gout avoid high-purine foods such as animal offal, seafood, beer, and high-fructose corn syrup.
TCM also believes that gout is closely related to insufficient function of the spleen and stomach. Therefore, it is suggested that patients consume more easily digestible and fiber-rich foods such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
Acupuncture Therapy
The ‘Suwen·Lingshu Secret Classic’ states that ‘the bladder is the official of the state capital, where body fluids are stored. When qi transforms, it can be discharged.’ Damp-heat or cold-dampness blockage impairs the bladder’s qi transformation and excretory functions, leading to hyperuricemia. The kidney and bladder are related as exterior and interior. Whether it’s kidney yang deficiency, kidney qi deficiency, or kidney yin deficiency, all can affect uric acid excretion. Acupuncture by selecting points on the bladder and kidney channels effectively regulates the qi transformation functions of the kidney and bladder. Combined with points for resolving phlegm, promoting blood circulation, and dispelling dampness, acupuncture can have an immediate effect on joint pain during acute gout flare-ups. Often, patients who hobble into the clinic leave freely and express their surprise at the quick relief.
Chinese Herbal Treatment
TCM believes that the cause of this disease is due to the dysfunction of the spleen and kidney’s ability to clear and secrete waste, leading to the accumulation of phlegm and dampness. Additionally, exposure to pathogenic factors of wind, cold, dampness, and heat, excessive drinking, overconsumption of fatty and sweet foods, and imbalance between work and rest can lead to a combination of internal and external pathogenic factors. Phlegm and dampness mix with blood, forming toxic sludge that obstructs the meridians, flows into joints, and invades the organs. Treatment should focus on dispelling dampness and phlegm, detoxifying, promoting circulation, and strengthening the spleen and kidney, while warming yang and transforming qi throughout the process.
Many people believe that ‘Wuji Baifeng Pills’ can treat and prevent gout. In fact, these pills are only suitable for patients with liver and kidney deficiency and are ineffective for most gout sufferers. If one wakes up in the morning and notices white and greasy tongue coating, it indicates cold-dampness; if the tongue coating is yellow and greasy or feels overly dry, it suggests internal damp-heat. Clinically, different situations require different treatments, whether it be dispelling damp-heat or cold-dampness, followed by removing phlegm, invigorating blood circulation, and strengthening the spleen and kidney for significant therapeutic effects.
Tea and Food Therapy
Tea Substitute: For example, lily bulbs and plantain seeds moisten the lungs and promote diuresis. Drinking 30g each daily as tea can prevent gout recurrence. Plantain seeds tend to be cold, so they are not recommended for gout patients with yang deficiency and cold-dampness.
Food Therapy Prescription: Coix seed and winter melon seed porridge. Use 10g of coix seeds, 15g of winter melon seeds, and 50g of polished rice to make porridge. Coix seeds strengthen the spleen and resolve dampness, while winter melon seeds promote diuresis and reduce swelling. For those with a cold spleen and stomach, use roasted coix seeds. This food therapy prescription is suitable for most people.”