text: has anyone ever heard of acth gel,  as a cure for gout? my mother was in north fla regional hospital, gainesville, fla, she had a severe gout flare-up, while she was recovering from a hip replacement,  and was given acth gel as an injection in her stomach, she has not had a flare-up in a year; my husband has had a severe gout flare-up for 2 weeks, he has gone to the er twice his week and is unable to walk, i've never heard him writhe in pain like this, before...please help! i am not familiar with the gel that you speak of, however, gout is characterized by accumulation of uric acid crystals in the joints caused by excess uric acid in the blood.  uric acid is a byproduct of the breakdown of protein that is normally excreted by the kidneys into the urine.  to reduce uric acid concentrations it is necessary to support the kidneys, adrenal and immune system functions.  it is also necessary to detoxify by cleansing and drinking plenty of fluids.  excess alcohol, allergy-producing foods (get checked for food sensitivities by a naturopath), or strict diets can cause outbreaks of gout.  foods rich in purines, such as wine, anchovies and animal liver can also cause gout.  essential oils can greatly help in the battle by supporting normal body functions.  you can try geranium, ledum, carrot seed, celery, juniper, rosemary ct cineol, roman chamomile, lemon, melaleuca alternifolia (also known as tea tree), nutmeg and idaho tansy or there are some blends available that may relieve some of the symptoms called panaway and juvaflex.  you can apply these to the affected area and some of them can be ingested as supplements.  please assure that if you try essential oils they are therapeutic-grade.  not all essential oils on the market are equal, some are even toxic.  if you would like further information, please contact me.