How To Treat Gout

Treating Gout

Gout is a form of arthritis that usually appears first in the feet. This condition affects over 8 million people in the United States and can be severely debilitating if left untreated. It can also cause permanent damage to joints and the kidneys. Many gout sufferers do not know how to treat gout and it is important to obtain treatment for gout early on to help prevent disability.

Gout is caused by high levels of uric acid in the bloodstream. Uric acid is formed as a by-product of purines in the diet. When this waste builds up, the kidneys normally flush it out. When levels of uric acid are too high, it can form crystals in the soft tissues and joints. This causes the painful attacks associated with gout.

The first attack usually affects the great toe and then can spread to the knees, ankles and elbows. Factors for acquiring gout include; genetics, uncontrolled high blood pressure, certain health conditions, and being overweight. Also, consuming high purine foods can increase uric acid levels in the body.

How To Treat Gout

Gout attacks must be treated as early as possible to prevent permanent damage. Your physician can prescribe certain medications to help control the inflammation and reduce uric acid levels. Regardless of the treatment options, it is important to see your physician for diagnosis. Here are some tips to help with gout treatment:

Avoid alcohol. Especially beer, which can raise uric acid levels. A 5 ounce glass of wine daily may be okay, but try to avoid alcohol during an acute attack.
Control your weight. Being overweight contributes to gout and can increase pain levels due to excess weight on the affected joints.
Drink water. If you don’t already, try to get in at least 8 glasses of water daily and as many as 10 to 12 glasses if possible. This will help rid your body of uric acid.
Get tested. Your doctor can aspirate some fluid from an affected joint and check for gout. They can also draw uric acid levels from the blood. This will help you and your doctor find the right treatment.
Rest and Elevate. Rest the affected areas and elevate it above the heart. Try not to walk around too much during the acute flare and use ice wrapped in a towel. Wear loose clothing and properly fitting shoes. Too much pressure can increase your gout pain.
Avoid purine foods. Foods high in purines can elevate uric acid levels. Avoid red meats, organ meats, alcohol, and seafood until the attack subsides.
Eat gout relieving foods. There are certain foods that can help relieve gout including, cherries, citrus, and certain berries. Cherries have a known effect on relieving inflammation from arthritis.
Use anti-inflammatory medications, but not aspirin. Naproxen and ibuprofen are helpful with pain and inflammation but aspirin can increase uric acid and make the attack worse. Always check with your doctor before using any medications.

Foods To Prevent Gout

Types of Foods that Prevent Gout

Of the many home remedies for gout, one of the easiest is changing your diet. Since gout is a type of arthritis caused by excess uric acid levels in the blood, eating foods lower in purines can help lower uric acid levels naturally. There are also many good foods to prevent gout that may be right in your very own kitchen already!

Cherries

Cherries have long been one of the best natural home remedies for gout. They contain a natural anti-inflammatory, anthocyanin’s that help reduce inflammation levels and pain. Eat at least ½ pound of cherries daily or try drinking cherry juice. They can help any type of arthritis including gout and help you get back on your feet faster.

Vegetables

Eating fresh raw vegetables and drinking vegetable juices can help relieve gout symptoms. Try making a juice out of beetroot, carrots, and cucumbers to increase healing from gout flares. Use 100 ml of beetroot juice, 300 ml carrot juice, and 100 ml cucumber juice every day. Use a variety of colors on your plate when choosing vegetables to get the most anti-oxidants.

French Bean Juice

French bean juice has been found to have gout relief in many people. You can drink a glass every day to help reduce gout pain.

Apples

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away” holds true with this one. Apples have the chemical malic acid that neutralizes uric acid and can reduce the pain and inflammation of gout flares. Better yet, finish off each meal with an apple to help relieve your pain.

Bananas

Many people who suffer from gout have tried the “banana diet.” This consists of eating only bananas for about 3 to 4 days. You can then eat a banana a day as a type of gout prevention. Bananas are also high in potassium and other vitamins to strengthen your body while healing from gout.

Lime, Orange, and Lemon

Eating fruits rich in vitamin C can help break down uric acid for the body in order to excrete it through the kidneys. Vitamin C can also help rebuild collagen in the joints. Oranges can be eaten or you can drink orange juice. For lemon and lime juices squeeze them into a glass of water to make them more tolerable and drink them twice daily.

Activated Charcoal

Make a paste with activated charcoal and place on the affected joints. Use about ½ cup activated charcoal with just enough water to make a paste. You can also place some in water and use as a foot soak.

Herbal Remedies

There are herbs that can help reduce inflammation in the body. These include devil’s claw, ginger root, and white willow bark. These can help relieve pain and inflammation, but you should consult with your physician and an herbal practitioner before using them.

Ginger

As listed above, ginger has remarkable anti-inflammatory properties and is one of the better home remedies for gout. Use it as a soak by putting 1/3 cup ground ginger in warm water and then soak your feet for 30 minutes. It can even pull uric acid out via the sweat glands. Make sure you wash off any ginger residue to prevent skin irritation.

Safflower

Safflower oil can help improve your blood flow, clean out your blood, and relieve gout pain. Use safflower oil capsules a little stronger than safflower cooking products. Check your natural or health foods section in the drug store.

Any of these gout home remedies are safe and effective to help relieve gout pain and inflammation naturally. Always check with your physician before choosing the best one for you.

Gout Prevention Tips

How to Prevent Gout

Gout can come on suddenly after hiding in your body for years without you even knowing it. The uric acid that causes gout can build up in your blood stream without any symptoms and then one night you wake up in pain. There are some good gout prevention tips that can help you prevent the attacks from coming on or ease them if they do happen.

Eat a healthy diet – If you are at risk for gout or suffer from gout, you need to eat a healthy diet and eat the proper foods that can decrease your risk. It is also important to eliminate those foods that can increase uric acid levels such as; red meat, sardines, gravies, and organ meats.
Increase your water intake – Drinking more water is not only good for your health, but it can help your body flush out the excess uric acid from your system. It will also help to protect your kidneys from the high levels of uric acid, which could be damaging.
Quit or cut back on alcohol – Some types of alcohol like; beer can increase uric acid levels. If you need to have a drink, try to limit yourself to 5 ounces of wine on occasion.
Get your exercise – Gout may be painful so try to exercise as much as you can tolerate. Even some slow gentle stretches or walking can help keep your joints from getting too stiff. Regular exercise can even decrease your gout risk.
Increase fruits and vegetables in your diet – Adding ½ pound of fresh cherries each day can help decrease inflammation in your body naturally. Vitamin C can naturally break down uric acid in the bloodstream and strengthen your immune system. Eating more vegetables than meat can reduce the purines you get with meals and help keep your weight stable.
Lose extra pounds – Being overweight not only increases your risk of getting gout, it puts added strain on your joints if you do get gout. Extra pounds also put you at risk for other health issues like; diabetes and heart disease.

The helpful gout prevention tips above can lower your risk of ever getting gout in the first place, or if you do suffer from a gout attack they can help reduce your discomfort. There is never any guarantee that you won’t ever get gout, but education and prevention practices will help you understand it and feel better!

Gout Medication Types

Types of Gout Medications

If you are just learning about gout, it can be overwhelming at first. Not only do you have to learn a whole new way of eating and a whole new lifestyle to control the flares, you also have to understand all of the different gout medication types so that you can make an informed decision about treatment. There are many different types of medications to treat gout and they all do something different. Here is a list of some of the medications used for gout:

Allopurinol (Zyloprim)

Allopurinol helps to lower the levels of uric acid in your blood. It keeps levels of uric acid in your body balanced to prevent them from forming crystals that cause gout symptoms. This can help prevent future gout attacks if you take it long-term.

Side-effects include; Stomach discomfort, diarrhea and drowsiness.

Analgesics

Analgesics are pain relievers prescribed to relieve the discomfort of gout symptoms. They do not actually treat or cure gout and do not reduce uric acid levels. They can help the fevers you may experience during an acute gout flare. Simple pain relievers like; acetaminophen (Tylenol), hydrocodone (Vicodin), and Codeine do not relieve the inflammation of gout, but can help pain in the beginning of attacks.

Side-effects include; nausea, vomiting, sleepiness, decreased reflexes, and dependence on Vicodin and Codeine. Acetaminophen does not usually have any side-effects, but too much can cause liver damage.

Colbenemid

This medication is a combination of a popular and long-used gout medication Cholchicine (see below) and Probenecid. Colbenemid works to help with the acute onset of gout and future gout attacks. It relieves symptoms by both blocking the action of uric acid crystals and lowering uric acid levels.

Side-effects include; stomach issues, nausea, diarrhea, dizzy spells, headaches, hair loss, and increased urination.

Cholchicine

Colchicine works by blocking the effects of uric acid crystals in the body to help relieve pain and inflammation. Some people take this medication at higher doses for a short period of time, or smaller doses long-term to prevent future gout flares.

Side-effects include; nausea, diarrhea, headaches and stomach issues.

Corticosteroids

These work by reducing the inflammation in the body. They are not commonly used due to sometimes serious side-effects and risks, but may be used in more severe cases of gout. Doctors often use steroids when people did not get relief from other anti-inflammatory medications. It is either given as an oral medication or as injections directly into the affected joint(s).

Side-effects include; bone loss, weight gain, fluid gain, disruption of the body’s natural steroid production (serious), and increased susceptibility to infection.

Losartan (Cozaar, Hyzaar)

This is usually used as a medication for high blood pressure, but has been found to help lower uric acid levels in the body. This medication may not be used with people who already have low blood pressure.

Side-effects include; dizziness, changes in your heart rate, muscle cramping, fatigue, headache, wheezing, cough, and more. There is a major drug interaction when taken with NSAIDS, so you may need a different anti-inflammatory medication along with it.

NSAIDS or Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs

These medications lower inflammation in the joints and can also help relieve pain. They can be taken during an initial flare up, but not usually used for long periods because of the effects on the stomach. Aspirin is an NSAID but not used for gout because aspirin can increase uric acid levels.

Side-effects include; nausea, vomiting, ulcers, and increased risk of bleeding.

Probenecid (Benemid, Probalan)

Probenecid can help lower the levels of uric acid in the body by increasing the amount of uric acid excreted by your kidneys. This medication is often used for people with chronic gout.

Side-effects include; fast heart rate, rash, puffy eyes, lower back pain, trouble urinating, cough, and fast breathing.

Sulfinpyrazone (Anturane)

This medication helps the body balance uric acid levels and can even help with prevention of gout attacks. It is commonly used in people who have both chronic gout and those who have intermittent gout flares.

Side-effects include; stomach upset, ulcer, anemia, and sometimes rashes.

Regardless of the medication you and your doctor decide is best for you, it is important to make healthy lifestyle and dietary changes to help you heal from gout faster.

Gout Natural Antibodies

Natural Antibodies and Gout

Gout is a form of arthritis that is said to be one of the most painful forms one can ever experience. It begins in the great toe, but can affect any of the joints in the body. This condition stems from an overproduction of uric acid that forms into crystals which deposit into the soft tissues and joints. This can irritate and inflame the joints and cause severe pain and swelling.

What Is Uric Acid?

Uric acid is a waste product that helps to break down purines in the blood. Under normal circumstances, your body breaks down the uric acid and flushes it out via the kidneys and urine. There are certain factors such as; heredity, medications, diseases, and being overweight that can predispose you to gout.

When your body cannot break down uric acid, crystals form and deposit inside the joints and the soft tissue near them. The inflammation can cause severe disability during an acute flare and interfere with normal daily tasks including: walking, standing, wearing shoes, and certain movements.

Anti-inflammatory medications such as; Advil or Naproxen Sodium can help relieve the inflammation and pain. There are several home remedies that can also be effective in controlling gout symptoms.

Home Remedies for Gout

For centuries, certain herbal substances have been safely used to treat pain and inflammation. These home remedies for gout are all-natural with no reported side-effects or even drug interactions. These remedies may even be in your cabinet ready to use and if not are actually quite inexpensive:

Cherry – Eating whole cherries or drinking cherry juice can help lower uric acid levels and can relieve the inflammation associated with arthritis. Try drinking cherry juice a few times daily or eat a couple handfuls of cherries as snacks. Not only do they help relieve symptoms, they are very good for your health overall!
Charcoal/Flaxseed poultice – Take ½ cup activated powdered charcoal and 3 Tbsp. Ground Flaxseed and mix with warm water to form a paste. Apply the paste to the affected joint or tissues and wrap it in a towel or plastic. You can leave this on while you sleep or during the day for 4 hours at a time.

Cod Liver Oil – If you can tolerate it, try taking 1 teaspoon of cod liver oil by mouth daily. This contains high amounts of vitamin A that helps to flush out uric acid.
Berries – Increase the amount of fresh berries in your diet. Berries can help reduce uric acid levels in the body and include: strawberries, blueberries, goji berries, raspberries, and blackberries.
Epsom Salts – Epsom salts are pure magnesium salts. Magnesium helps to relax muscles and relieve inflammation and swelling in the body. You can add a cup or two of Epsom salts to your bathwater or 3 Tbsp. to a pan of hot water for a foot soak.

The decision for treatment is up to you and your personal physician, and it is important to receive an accurate diagnosis before beginning gout treatments. No matter which treatment you use, always include a healthy diet, lifestyle, and exercise to help relieve the symptoms and improve your total body health.