Treat Gout

Gout is a common form of inflammatory arthritis caused by an excess of uric acid in joint tissue. It is the most common inflammatory arthritis among men. The treatment of the symptoms that come with gout (including pain, swelling of the joints, and tophi) is a long-standing battle that can be won with the right methodologies. Learn some of those tips and ticks below.

Steps

Diagnosing Gout and Understanding Aggravating Factors

  1. Understand the symptoms of gout. Caused by an excess buildup of uric acid, gout's symptoms may vary significantly from patient to patient, including development of chronic gout instead of isolated episodes. By and large, however, gout's symptoms include:
    • Warmth, pain, redness, and swelling in a joint of a limb, usually a big toe in the foot, although it often develops in the ankle or knee.[1]
    • Pain that starts during the night and maintains an almost unbearable intensity.
    • Peeling or itchiness in the skin around the affected joint(s).
  2. Know the goals of treating gout. Gout comes with several different side-effects and symptoms. Treating gout often involves understanding how to treat the different possible aspects of the condition:
    • End the pain of acute flares.
    • Prevent future attacks.
    • Halt the formation of tophi (masses of urate crystals deposited in soft tissue).
    • Intercept the growth of kidney stones.
  3. Know what causes and aggravates gout. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Gout can be triggered and/or aggravated by a number of different factors:
    • Gout can be triggered by:
      • Dehydration
      • Heavy eating
      • Heavy alcohol consumption
      • Injury or recent trauma
    • Gout can be aggravated by:
      • Obesity and weight gain
      • Alcohol consumption
      • High blood pressure (hypertension)
      • High-fructose corn syrup
      • Certain medications

Treating Gout Attacks

  1. Understand the regimen for treating the initial attack of gouty arthritis. If you suspect that you're dealing with the redness, swelling, and pain of a gout attack, talk with your doctor about following a regimen when an attack of gout disables you. Your doctor will have a list of activities that you can follow and medications that you can take in
  2. Rest the joints of the limbs where the gout is bothering you. This should reduce the pain and inflammation of the joints.
  3. Take an NSAID not named aspirin. NSAIDs stand for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and they refer to common household and prescription items such as ibuprofen, naxopren, or indomethacin.
    • Although aspirin is an NSAID, it's best not to take aspirin for an attack of gout because aspirin can make symptoms worse by changing uric acid levels quickly.
  4. Take a medicine named colchicine. Colchicine is a medicine in tablet form that blocks inflammation caused by uric acid crystals.[2] Colchicine may also be beneficial in reducing the pain associated with gout for those patients who cannot take NSAIDs, although it can be taken in combination with NSAIDs. There is some evidence to suggest that taking colchicine may reduce the chances of future gout attacks.[2]
  5. Take corticosteroids for gout. Corticosteroids for gout reduce many of the symptoms associated with gout, including pain, redness, and swelling.[3] Corticosteroids should be used when:
    • You're dealing with gout in a single joint
    • You're dealing with a gout attack that does not respond to NSAIDs
    • Your medical history precludes you from taking colchicine or NSAIDS such as naxopren

Managing Long-Term Complications

  1. Begin taking a medicine that reduces levels of uric acid in your blood. See your doctor about reducing your uric acid by taking certain medicines. These medicines may include:
    • Uricosuric agents. Uricosuric agents basically supercharge the kidneys, which in turn help remove excess uric acid.[3] Uricosuric agents have adequate results for about 75% of patients.
    • Xanthine oxidase inhibitors. These types of medicines basically keep a chemical called xanthine oxidase from forming.[3] Xanthine oxidase is instrumental in helping uric acid buildup.
  2. Watch your weight and get more exercise. Exercise will help you to lose weight as well as help you deal with the pain that comes with arthritis. 30 minutes a day is all it takes to see improvement. Light walking, aerobic exercise, or strength training can help you deal with long-term care of gout.
  3. Watch what you drink. Alcohol, but especially beer, blocks the release of uric acid into your urine, causing it to get bottlenecked in your body. Beer, especially, contains a lot of purines, which are broken down into uric acid eventually.
  4. Talk to your doctor about the medications you're currently taking. Some medication that you are currently taking may interfere with the medications you're using to treat gout, in addition to affecting the amount of uric acid your body produces. Talk to your doctor about any adverse pharmacological interactions you might be experiencing.
  5. Protect your joints. Avoid joint injuries and repetitive movements that can aggravate afflicted joints. Walk or run on softer surfaces (artificial track or sand, for example) instead of concrete.

Using Diet to Treat Gout

  1. Stay away from high-risk problem-foods associated with gout. Foods that are at high-risk to worsening your gout contain purines. Purines raise uric acid levels in your body, causing the painful joint inflammation. Foods that are especially high in purines include:
    • Animal organs such as liver, kidney, sweetbreads, and brains
    • Meats, especially red meats, such as bacon, beef, lamb, and other gamey meats
    • Anchovies, sardines, scallops, mackerel and herring
    • Gravy
    • Beer
  2. Limit your intake of food with a moderate amount of purines. Foods that should be consumed with caution and moderation include:
    • Seafood and fish (other than high-purine seafood)
    • Oatmeal
  3. Enjoy the foods that are especially low in purines. The following foods can be eaten without worrying about their effect on your uric acid buildup:
    • Green, leafy vegetables
    • Fruits and fruit juices
    • Processed (non-whole grain) breads and cereals
    • Chocolate and cocoa
    • Butter, buttermilk, eggs, and cheese
    • Beverages like coffee, tea, and carbonated sodas
    • Nuts and assorted nut butters
  4. Consider eating foods that reportedly help your gout. Foods that are low in purines don't necessarily help your gout. (Neither do they hurt.) The following foods may actually help you on your quest to stay symptom-free:
    • Nonfat or low-fat milk
    • Low-fat yogurt



Tips

  • Eating foods high in potassium can reduce the symptoms of gout during an attack.
  • Avoid taking aspirin if you are having a gout attack. Take low doses of over-the-counter- medicines, such as ibuprofen or naproxen sodium instead.
  • Contact the Arthritis Foundation for helpful information: http://www.arthritis.org/

Warnings

  • Gout is associated with an increased risk of kidney stones.
  • Recurrent bouts of acute gout can lead to a degenerative form of arthritis called gouty arthritis.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://arthritis.webmd.com/tc/gout-symptoms
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-8640/colchicine+oral/details
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 http://www.webmd.com/arthritis/tc/gout-medications
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