A Complete Guide to Gout and Hyperuricaemia: Concerned About Long-Term Medication? How 63-Year-Old Mr Biu Used Chinese Medicine to Manage Gout, Reduce His Reliance on Medication and Stabilise Uric Acid Levels-Prime&Naturals

Mr Biu, aged 63, had worked in logistics for many years. Most of his meals were bought outside the home, and he generally drank very little water. For the past 25 years, whenever pain developed in his toe, he would take painkillers or anti-inflammatory medication on his own, believing that suppressing the pain was enough.

In recent years, however, his gout attacks had increased to approximately once every three months, and each episode was lasting longer. More concerningly, his kidney function results had begun to show warning signs.

During his consultation, he asked the practitioner: “I do not want to keep adding more medication. I am worried that if I continue taking it, I may eventually need dialysis. Can Chinese Medicine help lower my uric acid?”

Practitioner’s Assessment: More Than a Painful Joint — an Overall Metabolic Concern

Mr Biu presented with a typical case of gouty arthritis combined with metabolic imbalance. Years of eating takeaway meals, regularly consuming rich and greasy foods, and not drinking enough water had placed increasing pressure on his body’s metabolic system.

From a Chinese Medicine perspective, this type of condition is often associated with weakened Spleen transformation and transportation, internal damp-heat, and the accumulation of turbid waste.

When dampness, heat and metabolic waste build up, uric acid metabolism may become less stable. Urate crystals may then accumulate in the joints, obstruct circulation through the channels and contribute to redness, swelling, heat and pain.

Gout management involves more than taking pain relief whenever a joint becomes painful. Uric acid metabolism, body weight, diet, kidney function and lifestyle habits all need to be considered together.

Why Does Gout Keep Returning When Only the Pain Is Treated?

Painkillers and anti-inflammatory medication can help reduce pain and inflammation during an acute gout attack.

However, if uric acid levels, dietary habits, metabolic health and risks to kidney function are not managed at the same time, gout attacks may continue to recur.

This is particularly important when kidney function has already begun to change. Medication use should be reviewed by a doctor according to the individual situation. People should not rely on medication over the long term, change the dose, or stop treatment without professional advice.

The purpose of Chinese Medicine support is not to replace an existing medical treatment plan. It is to provide staged and individualised care following a professional assessment, while considering current pain, uric acid metabolism and the patient’s overall constitution.

Staged Chinese Medicine Treatment: Managing Pain While Supporting Metabolism and Kidney Health

Chinese Medicine uses different treatment strategies according to the stage of gout. During an acute attack, the main focus is on redness, swelling, heat and pain. During remission, greater attention is given to metabolic regulation and reducing the risk of recurrence.

Acute attack: clear heat, drain dampness and promote circulation

When a joint becomes red, swollen, hot and severely painful, the first priority is to reduce pain and swelling as quickly as possible and help the patient regain basic mobility.

At this stage, treatment may focus on clearing heat, draining dampness, supporting the removal of accumulated waste and promoting circulation through the channels.

The approach is adjusted to the individual patient and aims to help reduce the metabolic burden, pressure within the joint, swelling and discomfort.

Clinical remission: support digestion and metabolism and help prevent recurrence

Once the pain has significantly reduced or disappeared, the treatment focus changes from relieving pain to helping prevent another attack.

Strengthen the digestive foundation: In Chinese Medicine, the Spleen is responsible for transforming and transporting food and fluids. When this function is well supported, the body may be better able to manage metabolism and accumulated waste, helping reduce conditions that encourage urate crystal deposition.
Reduce dampness and metabolic waste: Gentle approaches that support fluid metabolism and waste clearance may help reduce the body’s metabolic burden and support more stable uric acid management.
Consider kidney health and blood glucose: If there are signs of reduced constitutional reserve, elevated blood glucose or other metabolic concerns, treatment should be combined with dietary changes, lifestyle management and appropriate medical monitoring.

Gout treatment should not be judged only by whether the pain from one attack has disappeared. It is also important to monitor whether attacks are becoming less frequent, uric acid levels are stable, kidney function remains safe, and lifestyle changes can be maintained over the long term.

Important Daily Care for People with Gout

Consistent self-management is important for extending the time between attacks and reducing reliance on pain medication.

Avoid hot foot baths during an acute attack

If a joint is currently red, swollen, hot and painful, avoid soaking the foot in hot water or applying a hot compress. Heat may increase local blood flow and make the swelling and pain more noticeable.

Gradually resume gentle movement after the pain settles

Once the severe pain has eased, gentle movement may be resumed according to individual comfort.

For example, marching gently on the spot with raised knees for 5–10 minutes at a time may help support circulation in the lower limbs.

If severe pain, significant redness and swelling, or restricted movement are still present, rest and professional assessment should come first. Exercise should not be forced.

Weight management is an important step in reducing recurrence

Excess body weight is an important risk factor for gout and high uric acid levels.

From a Chinese Medicine perspective, the practitioner may assess whether the individual has a pattern involving digestive weakness with phlegm-damp accumulation, or Kidney deficiency with fluid retention, before developing an appropriate weight-management and treatment plan.

The aim is not extreme dieting. It is to help eating habits, metabolism and body weight gradually return to a more stable and sustainable state.

Diet and Lifestyle Habits Also Affect Uric Acid Stability

People with gout or high uric acid levels may consider the following:

Reduce foods high in purines, such as organ meats, rich broths and certain types of seafood
Avoid excessive alcohol consumption, particularly beer and spirits
Maintain adequate fluid intake, unless kidney or heart disease requires fluids to be adjusted according to medical advice
Reduce sugary drinks and excessive intake of sweets
Manage body weight while avoiding rapid weight loss over a short period
Maintain a regular routine and reduce late nights and excessive fatigue

High uric acid levels cannot usually be managed simply by avoiding one or two foods. Diet, body weight, metabolism, kidney function and medication management generally need to work together.

Key Areas of Management for Mr Biu

Mr Biu’s condition was not simply a matter of having a painful toe.

He had experienced recurrent gout over many years, together with frequent takeaway meals, inadequate fluid intake, weight concerns and accumulating metabolic risks. These factors had gradually increased the pressure on both his uric acid levels and kidney function.

His management plan therefore involved more than pain relief and was divided into several stages:

During an acute attack, first manage redness, swelling, heat, pain and restricted movement
Once the pain settles, shift the focus towards supporting digestion, reducing damp accumulation and improving metabolic regulation
Monitor uric acid levels, kidney function, blood glucose and blood lipids
Adjust diet, fluid intake, body weight and daily routine to reduce factors that may trigger recurrence

By adjusting the treatment approach at each stage and introducing practical changes that can be maintained in everyday life, gout and high uric acid levels no longer need to remain a cycle of taking painkillers whenever another attack occurs. They can instead become long-term health concerns that are progressively managed and more steadily controlled.

Practitioner’s Reminder

During an acute gout attack, pain, swelling and inflammation should be managed first. Once the attack has settled, the remission period becomes the key time to address uric acid metabolism and reduce the risk of recurrence.

If you have changes in kidney function, high blood pressure or diabetes, or are taking uric acid-lowering medication or painkillers, your treatment should be reviewed and managed with a doctor. Do not stop medication, increase the dose or continue self-medicating over the long term without professional advice.

Seek prompt medical attention if severe joint pain occurs with fever, redness and swelling worsen rapidly, you are unable to walk, urine output decreases noticeably, or kidney function results deteriorate.