How to Relieve Gout Pain

Gout is a severe form of arthritis that can come on suddenly and be very painful. Finding safe and effective types of gout pain relief can help you feel better faster. There are home remedies that can relieve gout pain and inflammation to speed up healing from gout attacks.

Overview of Gout

Gout is caused by the buildup of uric acid in the blood. The uric acid forms crystals that are deposited in the soft tissues and joints. Most people can break down uric acid and flush it out of the kidneys. People at risk for gout cannot get rid of the uric acid as easily. Risk factors for gout include: family history, being overweight, a diet high in purine foods (red meat, organ meat, sardines, and beer), having certain diseases, and taking certain medications. Men tend to get gout in their middle age years more often than women, but women can get gout after menopause due to hormonal changes.

Symptoms of gout are caused by the uric acid forming very sharp crystals that get lodged inside the joints and soft tissues. These crystals cause severe pain, inflammation, redness, and swelling in one or more joints. Your body tries to fight this off and sends out white blood cells to the area causing even more swelling and inflammation. This can also severely limit your mobility during an acute gout flare.

Gout Pain Relief

The symptoms are so intense, people often seek out various methods of gout pain relief at home while waiting to see their doctor. Here are a few home remedies that can help with gout pain:

Flaxseed/Charcoal Poultice – Try mixing 3 Tbsp. finely ground Flaxseed with ½ cup activated charcoal with warm water to make a paste. Apply it to the affected area(s) and cover with a piece of plastic or soft cloth. You can use this every four hours, or put it on before bed and change in the morning. Use caution with charcoal as it can stain so make sure you keep it covered well.

Activated Charcoal – You can take ½ Tsp. activated charcoal four times daily to help lower your uric acid levels. Make sure you drink plenty of water if you use this method. Activated charcoal can be found in many drug and health food stores.

Castor Oil – Try dipping a soft cloth into warm castor oil. Place the cloth over the affected joint, cover with plastic and apply heat. You can use a heating pad on low or a hot water bottle. You can do this twice a day for one hour.

Hot/Cold Packs – Alternate the use of a heating pad for 15 minutes then an ice pack for 15 minutes. You can do this 3 times a day to help improve blood flow to the area and relieve inflammation.

Epsom Salt Soaks – For feet, ankles, and toes you can take a bowl of hot water and sprinkle in 3 Tbsp. Epsom salts. Soak in this solution for 30 minutes. You can also run a bathtub full of water. This method requires about 1 to 3 cups of Epsom salts and can help to relieve gout pain over a larger area of the body when it affects more than one joint.

Natural gout pain relief is a safe and effective way to bring your gout pain under control naturally. It is important to see your physician if you suffer from gout or have symptoms of gout. Always check with your doctor before using home remedies.