Gout is the most prevalent form of rheumatoid disease known to man, with a well-understood pathophysiology and health risks. Gout is the most prevalent inflammatory rheumatism in men, and it is also the leading cause of rheumatoid disease in women, surpassing osteoarthritis. Gout has made a name for itself in human history. It was cited in the bibliographies of many prominent people and appears in many medical kinds of literature. It was regarded as a trial of a practitioner’s medical abilities as well as the fate of a luxury lifestyle.
Gout is a condition that impacts several or all of the body’s joints. Gout attacks the joints, metatarsal joints, knuckles, elbows, wrists, ankles, and knees in most cases. It is accompanied by terrible joint pains. The origin is the precipitation of monosodium urate complex (MSU) in the plasma. Once the plasma uric acid threshold is surpassed, crystals of uric acid develop. Despite the fact that hyperuricemia (a high quantity of uric acid in the blood) is the primary cause of gout, many with hyperuricemia do not acquire the disease.
Treatment for Gout
Gout can be managed in a variety of ways and with a variety of techniques. Gout has no treatment plan. Gout treatment options are determined by the patient’s condition and gout etiology. In order to fully recover from gout, patients must follow treatment guidelines as prescribed by their doctors. A blend of more than one therapeutic approach may be required in some circumstances. Diet, botanical therapies, patient engagement, medications, and reflexology are all options. This article aims to elaborate the use of reflexology in gout management.
Reflexology
The massage of certain pressure sites on the ears, hands, and feet to trigger or expedite therapeutic effects in other parts of the body is known as reflexology. It entails applying pressure to certain areas of the hands or feet in order to induce relaxation and healing to the damaged areas of the body. Reflexologists use foot maps to instruct them as they exert force to the affected areas. Reflexology has been shown in several trials to help reduce gout pain and its psychological consequences by improving stress release, sleep, and relaxation. Because reflexology is low-risk, it might be a suitable alternative for pain reduction, stress relief, and meditation. The reflex domains of the feet correlate to the body’s multiple tissues. When stress is put to an area of the skin via rubdown, nerve endings in the feet activate the equivalent part of the body, triggering self-healing.
How Effective is Reflexology in Gout Treatment
Reflexology has proven to be quite useful in the treatment of gout and the alleviation of gout pain. Reflexology begins on the feet through which healing is distributed to the hurting tissue. The use of reflexology aids in the correction of these abnormalities as well as the body’s metabolization of surplus uric acid in the plasma. The feet is known to possess high density of nerve endings. These nerves are activated by reflexology, and they provide the necessary brain signals, which subsequently transmit the right information to the damaged organ.
Reflexology is intended to enable the renal system operate effectively and successfully in the relief of gout. Several factors may lead to the kidneys’ inability to work properly, as well as the production of excessive uric acid. As a result, various organs, especially the endocrine glands, are treated with reflexology. The urethra, bladder, and several other parts that are explicitly or implicitly linked to the appropriate functioning of the kidney are also accorded interest. Because the kidneys are responsible for uric acid formation, the nerve fibres associated with the kidneys can be activated by exerting pressure to the relevant region of the feet (reflexology), which decreases uric acid production. Reflexology isn’t just for lowering blood pressure. Reflexology is utilized both to lessen the quantity of uric acid generated and to disintegrate the uric acid crystals that are accumulated in various joints throughout the body, such as the feet and hands.
The use of reflexology on sufferers lowers pain and swelling caused by a gout episode. It can also help to strengthen already overworked adrenal glands, eliminate uric acid crystals from the body, and calm the overstimulated tissue (that is, overstimulation of different body parts during attacks).
The swollen bodily joint is frequently too uncomfortable to contact during a gout event, so the person in question may well not tolerate contact on the affected portion. It becomes a better alternative to use reflexology to assist in the self-healing of these damaged regions. As a result, if the foot is damaged, massage the hands. Stimulate the kidney, adrenal, and lymphatic reflexes thoroughly. Exercise the matching hand’s metacarpal phalangeal joint, incorporating spectrum motions, in accordance with the law of similars. If a gout episode occurs in a joint other than the hands and feet, activate the reflex for that section of the body.
Undesirable Effects of Reflexology in Gout
The side effects include severe pain, nausea, headaches, and nasal congestion after undergoing reflexology. These impacts are not often negative because they are regarded to have healing effects. They show that the body is reacting to treatment. They are typically caused by the enormous release of toxins and the excess energy expended as the body seeks to balance the internal organs. These ostensibly unfavorable consequences last anywhere from 1 hour to 24 hours. Patients undergoing reflexology should incorporate large fluids intake, relaxation, and eating light meals following therapy. They must abstain from alcohol, sugar (and sugar-containing foods), caffeine, fat-containing foods, and so on (6).
Conclusion
Reflexology is a relatively safe method of treating gout. Aside from gout treatment, which eliminates uric acid deposits in the system and reduces uric acid production, it also aids in relaxation and stress relief. Gout cannot be cured with reflexology alone. As a result, patients who receive reflexology must mix therapy with other treatments in order to gain the best outcomes.
