Sudden severe pain and swelling in the big toe may be a symptom of a gout attack. Though modern medicine has no cure for gout, many patients find treatment with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to be effective.
Yuen Oi-lin, a registered TCM practitioner in Hong Kong, said in the program “The 100 Doctors, The 100 Treatments”  that acupuncture and moxibustion (the burning of moxa on the skin) can usually relieve gout in one session. In addition, drinking Sishen (four combinations) Decoction to nourish the spleen and stomach can help you recover.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), gout is caused by excess uric acid in the blood, which crystallizes in the joints, causing inflammation and pain. Pain in a gout attack usually rests with the big toe, but occasionally it can also affect the little toe joint, ankle, and knee….