What we treat - Gout

Gout is a condition not frequently seen in a physiotherapy clinic. It is a type of arthritis caused by a buildup of uric acid in joints.

It hits very suddenly causing pain, redness and heat in a joint; most often the great toe. It is a transient condition, seems to come from nowhere (although a rich diet may be a risk factor); it is off the scale on a pain chart for a couple of days and is resolved within a couple of weeks. A person who has a predilection for gout, seems to suffer with recurring episodes. Moderating diet is an important management factor. Otherwise, it has been traditionally treated with medication, such as allopurinal.

Low intensity laser is also an effective treatment option for gout. Its use is supported in a research report by Soriano et al, published in the Journal of Photomedicine and Laser Surgery in 2006. It is used to treat gout in many Laser Clinics; and those that use it report good results. In our own clinic, it is whole-heartedly supported by a colleague who regularly suffered with gout. After using laser during the acute, early phase of such an attack, he reported very rapid pain relief. More importantly, he hasn’t suffered another attack in 30 months. That’s an exceptional result. More frequently, the post treatment experience is of decreasing frequency and decreasing severity of attacks…still of great benefit to those with regularly recurring gout, especially it has a tendency to worsen over time.

If you, or a loved one, suffers from recurring gout, laser therapy is a great treatment option. It is non-toxic, not invasive and not painful. It stimulates your immune system, provides rapid pain relief and lessens the impact and frequency of any future attacks.