Gout is an extremely painful form of arthritis. Typically, this condition affects the big toe, the knee and the ankle joints, although gout can affect any joint in the body. Traditional medicine often uses ground ginger to treat inflammatory conditions, including arthritis, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center. Speak to your doctor or health care provider about ginger as a complementary treatment for gout.
Causes
Gout occurs when uric acid crystallizes in the synovial fluid of your joints. Excess uric acid stems from multiple causes, including overindulgence in alcohol, diuretic medications, inefficient urinary excretion and purine metabolism. Purines are chemical compounds that occur naturally in protein-rich foods such as organ meats. Gout tends to target males more than females; the condition also appears to be influenced by heredity. Certain illnesses, such as diabetes, sickle cell anemia, leukemia and kidney diseases, predispose you to a higher risk of gout, according to Pub Med Health.
Inflammation
Ginger demonstrates the ability to minimize symptoms associated with other forms of arthritis, so the addition of ground ginger to your diet may soothe the inflammation associated with a gout attack. University of Miami researchers recruited 261 patients with osteoarthritis in their knees and supplemented them with ginger over a six-week period. Sixty-three percent of the subjects who took ginger reported a reduction in knee pain upon standing, compared to the control group. The results of this study appeared in the November 2001 issue of the journal “Arthritis and Rheumatism.”
Dosage
The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends 2 to 4 grams of ground ginger root daily in a poultice or compress to treat the inflammation associated with gout. Ginger can also be ingested in the form of tea, extract or juice. Topical ginger oil can be applied directly to your big toe joint. Seek medical advice for the proper dosage of ground ginger for gout before you take it.
Prevention
If you are prone to gout attacks in the big toe, “Arthritis Today” magazine recommends abstaining from alcohol. Alcohol boosts the production of uric acid crystals and also interferes with normal excretion of uric acid. Other preventative strategies for gout include weight loss, avoiding diuretics, and minimizing your intake of purine-rich foods such as gravies, bacon, anchovies, shellfish and liver.
