Gout is not strictly considered an autoimmune disease, but it involves the immune system attacking and destroying the joints and body tissues. Therefore I recommend that you read through the chapter on “Autoimmune Diseases” on page 200 to gain a background understanding of the immune system and how and why it can damage body tissue.
Symptoms of gout include a sudden onset of joint pain reaching maximum severity in two to six hours, often waking the person early in the morning. The pain lasts for one or two weeks and is severe; it is often described as “the worst pain ever”. The sites most commonly affected include the joint in the big toe, the ankle, mid-foot, knee, finger joints, wrist and elbow. The skin looks red and shiny and there is considerable swelling. The joint feels hot and is extremely tender – the person is unable to wear a sock or to let bedding rest on the joint. Sometimes the only symptom is pain and tenderness in the heel or sole of the foot. The person may also develop a fever and feel generally ill (malaise).
Over time, the deposits of uric acid crystals may build up in the joints and tissues around the joints forming ‘tophi’. Tophi most commonly develop in the joints of the big toe, the Achilles tendon at the back of the heel, the elbows and the pinnae of the ears. They can ulcerate through the skin, discharging white gritty material and pus. The cartilage and bone around the joint is destroyed causing chronic pain, stiffness and deformity.
Gout is associated with high levels of uric acid in the blood (medical term is hyperuricaemia). About 5% of men and less than 1% of women have hyperuricaemia, the majority of whom suffer no abnormal symptoms. In some people the uric acid forms crystals which are deposited in the joints and tissues. These crystals absorb an antibody from the immune system called IgG which stimulates the cells of the immune system to release toxic chemicals (lysosomal enzymes, oxygen derived free radicals, collagenase, protease etc) which cause damage to the cartilage and tissue leading to inflammation.58 Whenever you see the immune system not functioning as God designed it to, and attacking or damaging
Whenever you see the immune system attacking its own body tissue, it has been found that there is self-hatred in the person’s thought life.
its own body tissue, it has been found that, without exception, there are varying degrees of self hatred, self-rejection, self disapproval, a low self-esteem and/or guilt upstream in the person’s thought life.31 Gout can also be precipitated by over eating (gluttony) and excessive alcohol intake (especially beer). If you are struggling in this area, I recommend that you read through the chapter on “Addictions” on page 216 and “Problems with Weight Gain, Excessive Overeating, Anorexia, Bulimia and the Fallacy of Diets” on page 234. Other provocative factors include stress (fear and anxiety), trauma, infection and surgery.
Gout can develop as a complication of other diseases for example kidney failure as well as certain medical drugs such as diuretics (‘water pills’ used to treat high blood pressure) or salicylates (pain killers and anti-inflammatories such as aspirin).
In the short term, anti-inflammatories and drugs called Colchicine and Allopurinol will help relieve the symptoms of gout. However these drugs are not the ultimate answer because they don’t deal with the underlying issues. To permanently eradicate gout, you need to deal with the toxic mindsets causing it. The following chapters will help you:
- “Who You Are In Christ” on page 498– building a healthy self-esteem starts with knowing who you are in Christ and establishing your identity and sense of self worth in Him. You need to see yourself as God sees you.
- If fear, anxiety and stress dominate your thought life, I recommend that you read the chapter on page 523.
Old Injuries that Still Have Pain
Sometimes osteoarthritis (discussed above) can develop in joints that were previously injured, causing chronic inflammation and pain. When old injuries still have pain, it is an indication of hatred.31 This could involve bitterness against someone such as the person who caused the injury or against yourself because you caused the injury and you blame yourself for that. Bitterness and hatred are pro-inflammatory states and vulnerable sites (e.g. gouty or arthritis joints, old injuries) would be the primary responders to a pro-inflammatory state.
Bitterness and unforgiveness is a block to healing and therefore it needs to be dealt with. The chapter on page 481 will help you. Once you have dealt with any unforgiveness, operating in the gift of miracles, you must ask God for a creative miracle and speak to that damaged part of the body and command it to be healed and made whole in the Name of Jesus. I explain more about operating in the gift of miracles on page 123 under the heading “Sometimes You Can’t Do It Alone.”
Download thees E books for Free to assist in your Healing!
Dirk Flemix – Living with Eternity on my mind book final
Healing-Begins-Dr-MK-Strydom-2nd-Edition