Acupuncture can reduce the risk of gout and kidney damage according to a study published in the Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Researchers from Beijing University began to look into the effects of acupuncture therapy on specific areas. They did this on serum uric acid and xanthine oxidase levels in a test subject model of gout and hyperuricemia.

The 90 day experiment studied 50 test subjects and divided them into five groups: Blank, Model, Shu-acupoint, Yuan-acupoint and Mu-acupoint groups.

Groups receiving the three courses of acupuncture treatment took a course involving a total of 10 interventions, each lasting for 15 minutes. There was a pause for 10 days between the courses.

Researchers measured the serum uric acid and alkaline phosphate levels using an automatic biochemical analyser, while evaluating xanthine oxidase with the use of immunofluorescence (a technique used for light microscopy).

The Study’s Results

Results show that the serum uric acid and xanthine oxidase levels in the model group were much higher and the renal index greatly improved in comparison to the blank group.

The three treatment groups also had lower serum uric acid and xanthine oxidase levels, along with improved renal index in comparison to the model group.

When comparing the three treatment groups, researchers found that the Mu-acupoint group showed the highest decreases in serum uric acid and xanthine oxidase levels, followed by the Yuan-acupoint group.

No significant difference was found in the kidney index among the three treatment groups. While no significant change in alkaline phosphate levels were found among all the groups.

Researchers concluded that the acupuncture treatments can greatly decrease serum uric acid and xanthine oxidase levels – potentially this means it can reduce renal damage.

Why Is High Uric Acid In The Blood Dangerous?

When an excess of uric acid is produced in the blood, it is transported into the kidneys, where most of it is filtered out into the urine.

Gout is the most painful and common side effect of having high uric acid levels in the blood. This can lead to a variety of conditions including metabolic acidosis, gout and kidney stones. Metabolic acidosis develops when the excess uric acid is present and can not be properly excreted.

Common symptoms of this include rapid breathing, confusion and lethargy. It can even result in shock and death. Kidney stones can also form when uric acid crystallises in the kidney. Once stored there, it can form different sized stones.

These stones are then trapped in the ureter when a person tries to urinate, causing severe pain. Other side effects of hyperuricemia include diabetes, lead poisoning, leukaemia, kidney disease, renal failure and even toxemia in pregnancy.

What Causes Hyperuricemia?

A high uric acid level occurs when the kidneys do not remove uric acid in the body properly. Hyperuricemia is primarily caused by eating a high sugar carbohydrate diet and can be made worse from water retention drugs, excessive alcohol consumption, immune suppressing drugs, hypothyroidism, obesity, psoriasis, and particularly, niacin or Vitamin B3 deficiency. Other influences include consuming too many purine rich foods.

Find Natural Relief With DIY Acupressure 

Going to a Chinese acupuncturist can help you to target specific areas where health problems are occurring on the body. Yet there is also a more convenient solution – a DIY acupressure kit.

The HealthPoint™ device gives you the power of electronic acupressure, directly in your own hands. No needles required!

By accurately locating acupuncture points and stimulating them effectively, it’s possible to become a Master of Acupressure and to ‘self-treat’ at home, alongside your regular treatment routine.

By following the instructions in the Mastering Acupuncture book and the Quickstart User Guide, you can become proficient at locating and targeting acupuncture points. This can provide natural, safe and effective relief from the symptoms of gout and kidney damage.

 

Recommended Examples

HealthPoint™ Kit –  This is a DIY electro-acupressure kit that allows you to safely stimulate the acupuncture points without using needles.The HealthPoint™ kit comes with a comprehensive manual that will enable you to easily help any condition that benefits from acupuncture. Available from Good Health Naturally.