Gout is a painful form of arthritis that can come on suddenly and cause a lot of pain. While conventional treatments such as medication are usually helpful, many people turn to alternative therapies in order to get relief from the symptoms of gout. Chelation therapy is one option for treating gout, and involves removing metals from the body. Surprisingly, metals can be related to the cause of gout, making this treatment option effective for many.
Gout
Arthritis is painful enough, but sufferers of gout get sudden attacks of their joints---particularly at the base of their big toes---that causes severe pain, redness and tenderness. One of the causes of gout is the body's inability to flush out excess levels of uric acid the way it should; people with kidney problems are more likely to have gout because of this.
There are many treatment options for gout: pain relievers, steroids, and medicines that combat the uric acid are the most common forms. However, another form of therapy is available that uses chelates---compounds that help remove metals from the body---in order to help those with gout.
Chelation Therapy
Chelation therapy has been in use since World War I for soldiers who were involved in chemical warfare. They were given chelates that contained a lot of sulfur in order to help rid their bodies of some of those toxins. Chelation therapy is used for other conditions, such as lead poisoning and atherosclerois, as well.
Why It Is Used for Gout
Gout sufferers often also have mild cases of lead poisoning, which is why chelation therapy can help treat them. Lead poisoning affects the kidneys, which in turn makes it more difficult for them to process uric acid---a major cause of gout.
Treatment
There are several ways that a patient can receive chelation therapy, so discuss these treatments with your doctor to determine which one is best for you. Chelation can be administered orally, intravenously or through an injection in the muscle. There can be dangers and side effects to chelation therapy; ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) is a commonly used for chelation therapy, and can cause kidney failure. EDTA also has other potential side effects, such as low blood pressure, convulsions and respiratory arrest, among others.
Chelation therapy is an alternative form of medicine, so you may have to pay for it yourself. While each session is usually less than $100, you may need anywhere from five to 30 sessions just in the first month, followed up by a recommended monthly session as a form of prevention.
Does It Really Work?
According to the American Heart Association, proponents of chelation therapy rely on testimonials in order to back up their medical claims. While patients who use this form of therapy might see positive results, some people are still skeptical as to whether chelation therapy directly helps treat gout. For example, the American Heart Association questions whether it is the chelation therapy that makes the person feel better, or whether it is preparing for the therapy that is helping. Patients must be healthy before committing to this process, so they need to eat better, lose weight and quit smoking. Those steps alone could help patients feel physically better; in the case of gout, simply losing weight could cause joint pain to lessen.
Before opting for chelation therapy, talk to your doctor and let him help you decide whether it is a good option for you, given your medical history and the severity of your gout.
Tags: gout Chelation, American Heart, American Heart Association, cause gout, chelation therapy, chelation therapy, Chelation therapy