Vatarakta (gout-like disorder)

With pitta the feet are hot, soft, swollen and burning; with kapha they itch and are heavy and densely swollen; with pitta, kapha and vata together the signs of all three appear.

Vatarakta is also said to give rise to several disorders of the feet, each named after its features.

Eating burning foods in the hot season, much pungent, very hot and dry food, and long fast riding on chariots, horses, elephants, camels and the like are said to burn the blood and provoke vata.

A swelling that distresses the whole body follows; the feet have pricking and splitting pain, cannot bear touch and also dry up.

The burnt blood blocks the path of vata; vata, greatly aggravated, corrupts the blood, which then collects in both feet.

The treatment of vatarakta, in which blood corrupted by the doshas reaches the feet, is to be given with preparations that destroy the dosha concerned.

In vatarakta with strong pitta a thick, very cool paste of grains and pulses with ghee, jaggery, sugarcane juice and milk is applied.

In vatarakta with strong kapha a lukewarm paste ground with alkali and cow's urine is applied.

In vatarakta with strong vata a paste ground in ghee, sugarcane juice and milk is applied cold.

In vatarakta arising from all three doshas the Mustadi paste is applied.

When the doshas are greatly increased in vatarakta, enemas and purgation are to be given.

One who regularly takes purgation, bloodletting and enemas, applies poultices and takes cool food and drink with sweet, astringent and bitter tastes is said to overcome vatarakta and raktapitta.

Wheat, rice, barley, green gram, milk and ghee are named as wholesome food and drink in this disease.

When the swelling bursts and blood and fluid flow from it and from the knee, vatarakta is to be regarded as incurable; it is curable before one year and becomes manageable (yapya) after that.