Summary

Gout, also know as gouty arthritis, is a painful condition of the joints that results when there is too much uric acid in the body.  The excess of uric acid leads to the formation of small crystals of urate (uric acid crystals).  Some of these crystal deposits form in the synovial fluid (lubricating fluid around joints) that then cause inflammation and result in this painful condition.

The common gout attack is severe pain in the big toe accompanied by redness and intense pain.  Other joints may be affected and the pain can be so intense that even touching the area is intolerable.  Gout is most common among men and postmenopausal women.  Alcohol consumption, high consumption of meats, being overweight, and certain diuretic medications appear to increase the risk of gout.

 

[search helps: acute gout, hyperuricemia, tophaceous gout; chronic gout]

Oils, blends & products recommended:

Oils & Blends:  Basil, birch, Deep Blue, frankincense, geranium, lemon, lemongrass, peppermint, wintergreen

Essential oils based products: Life Long Vitality supplements, GX Assist, PB Assist, Zedocrine tablets and oil

Also consider:

Suggested protocols:

For immediate pain relief:

•  A few drops each of frankincense and basil to the painful area.  After application cover with a hot towel compress.  Repeat 2-3 times daily.

•  Other oils combinations are also recommended with the same procedure.  Lemongrass and wintergreen or single oils basil, Deep Blue, or peppermint.

For long term prevention:

•  2 - 4 drops of lemon in a glass of water 2 - 3 times daily.

•  Consider cleanses especially those that focus on the kidneys and other cleansing organs.  See the doTerra Zendocrine cleanse under the Nutritional Cleanses.  Also consider the GX Assist cleanse followed with PB Assist.

•  Life Long Vitality supplements provide the balanced nutrition necessary.

Dietary considerations:

Many stress the importance of dietary considerations.  The following comes from MayoClinic.com:

•  Limit animal protein. Avoid or severely limit high-purine foods, including organ meats, such as liver, and herring, anchovies and mackerel. Red meat (beef, pork and lamb), fatty fish and seafood (tuna, shrimp, lobster and scallops) are associated with increased risk of gout. Because all animal protein contains purines, limit your intake to 4 to 6 ounces (113 to 170 grams) daily.

•  Eat more plant-based proteins. You can increase your protein by including more plant-based sources, such as beans and legumes. This switch will also help you cut down on saturated fats, which may indirectly contribute to obesity and gout.

•  Limit or avoid alcohol. Alcohol interferes with the elimination of uric acid from your body. Drinking beer, in particular, has been linked to gout attacks. If you're having an attack, avoid alcohol. However, when you're not having an attack, drinking one or two 5-ounce (148 milliliter) servings a day of wine is not likely to increase your risk.

•  Drink plenty of fluids, particularly water. Fluids can help remove uric acid from your body. Aim for eight to 16 8-ounce (237 milliliter) glasses a day.

•  Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products. Some studies have shown that drinking skim or low-fat milk and eating foods made with them, such as yogurt, help reduce the risk of gout. Aim for adequate dairy intake of 16 to 24 fluid ounces (473 to 710 milliliters) daily.

•  Choose complex carbohydrates. Eat more whole grains and fruits and vegetables and fewer refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, cakes and candy.

•  Limit or avoid sugar. Too many sweets can leave you with no room for plant-based proteins and low-fat or fat-free dairy products — the foods you need to avoid gout. Sugary foods also tend to be high in calories, so they make it easier to eat more than you're likely to burn off. Although there's debate about whether sugar has a direct effect on uric acid levels, sweets are definitely linked to overweight and obesity.

Experiences and Testimonials of others

Denise - My dad is suffering from extreme gout. Because of his terrible pain, he finally seems ready to try essential oils if they will help.  How do I administer them?

Rob - Dr. Hill, in a recent seminar, advised using birch oil and suggested the best model for application of birch is topically.  So your dad may have to buck up and have it rubbed on the affected area.  The good news is that birch smells incredible.  I would also use a carrier oil for application because birch can be a little irritating to sensitive skin if applied neat.

 

Joyce - Can anyone tell me the best thing to do for Gout!

Stephanie - This is what I found.  Birch, Wintergreen, Deep Blue, Peppermint, Lemongrass, these are your first choices. You do not need all of them just one to start. After you apply the oil, cover it with a hot moist towel, leaving it on until it cools off. Repeat this procedure every couple of hours.

Other things that aren't oils but can be helpful:  Celery juice and apple juice combined, drink every hour, sour cherries or sour cherry juice, and anything to rid the body of extra uric acid and that helps the kidneys. Get circulation to the area by soaking in cold water and then applying wintergreen or peppermint and a warm cloth over the top. The pain is caused by crystals of uric acid and hydranga, a root, dissolves stones and crystals.  Celery seed or autumn crocus also help. While having a flair-up avoid high-purine foods such as organ meats (kidney, liver), red meat, fish, poultry, legumes and nutritional yeast

Energy4life - I would start on the Lifelong Vitality immediately. Gout is a form of arthritis, and the LLV really helps to relieve systemic inflammation. Doing the GX Assist/PB Assist cleanse for 3 consecutive months would be advisable as well.

Brooke - We have an 86 year old friend that has had a great deal of relief from the sharp pain by just drinking lemon oil in this water throughout the day.

 

 April - My husband has gout in his ankle which comes and goes. Does anyone know what I should do to relieve his pain and help it go away for good? I rubbed Deep Blue and Purify on his ankle but it didn't seem to help at all. Any information would be helpful!

Tim and Smokey - Tim has gout on his elbow, which comes and goes.  The first time we used Deep Blue and peppermint and it helped a lot, but did not get rid of it.  The next time it flared up, we used frankincense and basil.  We applied them with a hot towel compress and the results were amazing.  We talked to a friend that also used lemongrass and wintergreen with some success.

Au - I know it sounds outlandish, but try DigestZen with doTERRA’s amazing wintergreen topically with heat.

 

Meredith - Which oils work best for Gout?

Pat - Birch, wintergreen, Deep Blue, peppermint, lemongrass are your first choices. You do not need all of them just one to start. After you apply the oil, cover it with a hot moist towel, leaving it on until it cools off. Repeat this procedure every couple of hours.

Teresa - I would venture lemon and then support the kidneys with lemongrass and  rosemary.  Drink BLACK Cherry juice, no sugar, get plenty of probiotics (PB  Assist), drink plenty of water, avoid red meat.  

Protocols folks recommend for children

 

 

Diet and Nutritional complements to essential oils

 

What Science & Research are saying