| Osteopath | Joint Pain | Coeliac Disease | |
| Gout | Hyperuricaemia | Disclaimer |
Joint pains and back problems are not uncommon amongst windsurfers, as in the general population. I recommend Paul Barratt, Dalkeith Road, Edinburgh. See www.osteos.co.uk.
Joint pains, particularly in elbows or heels, are not unexpected after testing windsurf sessions. Many people take Glucosamine supplements, widely available from supermarkets or health food shops.
Joint pain can be the result of many things, including coeliac disease and hyperuricaemia. Ask your doctor to think of all the possibilities, and do the relevant tests!
Pain and swelling of the joints in the big toes indicate gout, which can also effect the fingers and elbows.
Coeliac disease (generally known as celiac disease) effects about one in a hundred people in Britain. It is a genetic disorder. A blood test for coeliac antibodies may indicate whether further investigation is needed.
Symptoms vary, and may not be particularly severe. They include intestinal wind, mal-absorption, joint pain, mouth ulcers and skin problems. Lactose intolerance is a common symptom.
Some people lose weight due to mal-absorption. Others gain weight. The University of the Highlands and Islands is investigating a link with diabetes which could explain weight gain. They are also investigating a possible link with shizoprenia. Initial findings suggest that coeliac disease may overlap with type-1 diabetes but not with schizophrenia.
The treatment for coeliac disease is to change your diet to avoid gluten, including wheat, bread, pasta & pizza. Eating in restaurants can be a problem!
Gofio de Millo, manufactured from maize, is a very useful food to carry with you for lunch or as an emergency ration, as a substitute for shortbread or sandwiches.
Maize flour can be obtained from health food shops. On holiday I buy Ricamasa Maize flour.
Correcting long-standing mal-absorption will increase the strain on the kidneys and liver. It could make hyperuricaemia worse and provoke attacks of gout.
Scones and cakes contain baking powder, which contains sodium bicarbonate. If you change your diet to contain less sodium bicarbonate, you may suffer problems with hyperuricaemia and gout.
For further information, see
Gout is a form of arthritis caused by deposition of uric acid crystals in the joints. These crystals form in the cooler parts of the body, so gout particularly effects the joints the toes, elbows, and fingers. This arthritis is accompanied by painful swellings.
Though other forms of arthritis may not be classified as gout, uric acid crystals could be a secondary cause.
Alcohol consumption is an important factor.
For more information, see hyperuricaemia and alcohol and urates.
Urates are produced in the body by the breakdown of foods containing DNA, particularly red meat and fish food. They circulate in the blood stream, and are removed by the kidneys and excreted in urine.
Urates may be converted into uric acid in the body, especially if the blood is slightly more acid than normal. Uric acid forms crystals, which grow over time, and cause inflammation. Uric acid is deposited particularly in the cooler parts of the body, such as the joints of the toes, elbows and fingers. Inflammation in these areas is the classic feature of gout.
Blood acidity may be increased by consuming citric fruit, or as a result of consuming alcohol the previous night. Patients with gout are usually advised to cut down on alcohol consumption.
Urates are also deposited in the skin and scalp, where they can cause eczema. Consuming grapefruit or orange juice can produce uric acid crystals in the skin, giving rise to a skin rash.
Urates in the blood are perfectly normal, but levels fluctuate and some people have higher levels than others. The level of urates may be determined by a blood test. Very high levels are known as hyperuricaemia, and are seen as especially worthy of treatment.
Symptoms include:
Alcohol is a powerful and dangerous drug which interacts in many ways with the body. Its use cannot be recommended. Many people drink regularly, and some drink quite a lot. Alcoholism is particularly prevalent in some northern areas, where fatty meat from grazing animals is an important part of the diet, so levels of urates in the body are unusually high. The Scotsman reports "Deaths linked to alcohol in some areas of Scotland are six times higher than the UK average".
Alcohol in the bloodstream mobilises the urates and uric acid deposits in the body. This explains the immediate anti-depressant effect of alcohol.
As alcohol is metabolised, urates are liberated once more, producing a hang-over. This can be treated with a glass of water with sodium bicarbonate, or even the traditional Alka Selzer, which helps reduce the level of urates in the bloodstream.
Alcohol is metabolised by the liver, and uric acid is particularly deposited there, causing damage to the liver. Liver damage is slow and progressive and will not be noticed until the damage is severe. If you have any sign of liver disease, see a qualified professional medical practitioner immediately.
Symptoms of liver disease include digestive problems when eating red meat, and ketosis - a dreadful smell from the urine and elsewhere after eating fatty food.
Alcohol consumption is also a factor in gout. The continual dissolving and redeposition of uric acid in the joints causes inflammation.
The usual treatment advised for hyperuricaemia is to be very careful what you eat, and to take allopurinol. Allopurinol is a prescription medicine with nasty side effects. You need to continue to take it for life.
Urate deposits in the skin and scalp can be removed by taking a hot bath or shower, preferably in soft water. Water containing large amounts of lime is not so effective. I find an alkaline soap more effective than shower gel. You should find that washing your head and hair with shampoo has an immediate refreshing effect.
The action of the kidneys can be improved by taking small quantities of sodium bicarbonate and/or potassium citrate. These make the urine more alkaline, and reduce the reabsorption of urates.
Both are available very cheaply without prescription.
Potassium Citrate is often recommended to treat kidney stones.
I take a quarter teaspoonful of sodium bicarbonate in a glass of water before breakfast, and 1.5mg of potassium citrate (5ml of mixture) after main meals. I find Potassium Citrate particularly effective in clearing urates from my bloodstream.
Sodium bicarbonate in water is also an effective means of counteracting the acidity of oranges and grapefruit.
Sodium bicarbonate is readily available in the 'home baking' section of the supermarket. It is an ingredient of baking powder, used in scones and cakes. It is an ingredient of some fizzy drinks. You can make a very pleasant drink by mixing a quarter teaspoonful of sodium bicarbonate in a glass of water, and adding a teaspoonful of lemon juice.
Alka-Seltzer Original contains 1916mg of sodium bicarbonate, 1000 mg of citric acid and 325 mg of aspirin per tablet. The recommended dose is 2 tablets every 4 hours as needed up to 8 tablets in 24 hours. It was widely used as a remedy for back aches, diarrhoea, leg cramps, heartburn and arthritis, and as a hang-over cure. It is no longer so popular, because of concerns over the safety of aspirin.
There is a long tradition of visiting spas and mineral water springs in the search for cures for many ailments. Lithium salts, present in many hot water springs, are known to be effective against hyperuricaemia. Lithium salts were added to soft drinks and beer, until the toxic effects were recognised.
Treating hyperuricaemia will relieve depression, and make your senses more acute. This may not be wise if you live or work amongst flashing lights or noise!
A US Study found that Sodium Bicarbonate was also effective at reducing bone loss in older people. It seems that both bicarbonate and citrate reduce blood acidity. This leads to stronger bones and should also help remove uric acid deposits.
The University of Nottingham Centre of Evidence Based Dermatology is investigating the link between hard water and excema. I believe that washing with soap and warm soft water helps remove urates from the skin.
If you have any health problems, you should consult a qualified professional medical practitioner. Ask if they are insured against the effects of giving misleading, dangerous or inadequate advice.
I offer this advice in the hope that it will help you ask the right questions of your advisors, and in the belief that you will make better decisions as a result.