General Health

Colchicine extracted from a plant has been used to treat gout from about the sixth century. It is still used and is effective. Unfortunately, it may cause vomiting and diarrhoea and has been superseded by more effective drugs.

The anti-inflammatory drugs used with such success in the rheumatic disorders are also effective in gout. These include phenylbutazone, in-domethicin and ibuprofen.

If given in proper dosage, they should start to relieve the pain within hours and bring total relief within 48 to 72 hours.
Once the diagnosis has been made and the level of uric acid in the blood found to be elevated, a decision about long-term treatment must be made. If the blood level is only moderate, the decision can be delayed but, if the level is high, treatment to lower it is required to prevent long-term risks.

The problem with gout is that either too much uric acid is produced or too little is excreted by the kidneys. It is possible to determine which by estimating the excretion over 24 hours.

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General health