Treating Gout Attacks

Content

• The Pain And Swelling Of Gout Can Be Easily Treated
• Easing The Pain Of Acute Gout
• Managing Your Gouty Arthritis
• Diet
• The Truth About Online Gout Remedies

After a number of years, if not treated, the development of persistent swelling, stiffness and mild to moderate pain in one or more joints after numerous acute (generally severe but short-lived) episodes. A period of time when there are no symptoms at all, followed by other acute severe attacks. A sudden onset of joint pain and swelling that goes away after five to 10 days . Some people have one episode and never have any other problems with it. Others have several episodes along with lasting joint pain and damage.

What is the fastest way to get rid of uric acid crystals?

Too much alcohol may raise your uric acid level and bring on a gout episode. Drink at least 10-12 eight-ounce glasses of non-alcoholic fluids daily, especially if you have had kidney stones. This will help flush the uric acid crystals out of your body.

Colchicine, to prevent flare-ups during the first months that you are taking medicines that lower uric acid. Xanthine oxidase inhibitors, to decrease production of uric acid by the body. Medicine treatment for gout usually involves some combination of short- and long-term medicines. The exact cause of hyperuricemia sometimes isn't known, although inherited factors seem to play a role. Paying attention to what you eat may help you manage your gout. Eat moderate amounts of a healthy mix of foods to control your weight and get the nutrients you need.

The Pain And Swelling Of Gout Can Be Easily Treated

Gout is a very painful form of inflammatory arthritis caused by the buildup of uric acid crystals in a joint, often the big toe joint. Uric acid is formed as a byproduct of digestion; when the body breaks down purines–chemicals in certain foods–the resulting uric acid is processed by the kidneys and leaves the body in liquid waste. These crystals have sharp edges, which are what cause the severe pain and swelling of a gout attack. First identified by the Egyptians in 2640 BC, podagra was later recognized by Hippocrates in the fifth century BC, who referred to it as 'the unwalkable disease'.

If you are already taking a uric acid-lowering drug to reduce the risk of flares, continue to take that drug. Get more information about treatment goals for inflammatory arthritis, which includes both pain management and the prevention of joint and organ damage. Your doctor may prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as celecoxib, indomethacin, meloxicam, or sulindac or suggest you take over-the-counter NSAIDs, like naproxen or ibuprofen. Depending on your medical history, your doctor may prescribe steroids or other medicines to reduce inflammation, such as colchicine . The rheumatologist may also examine the joints and soft tissues using X-ray, ultrasound, or MRI to rule out other conditions, assess damage, and look for uric acid crystals.

Easing The Pain Of Acute Gout

Uric acid comes from nitrogen-containing compounds called purines, found in many foods and drinks. Too much leads to formation of uric acid crystals, which collect in joints and cause not only gout but other problems such as kidney stones. Uric acid-lowering drugs used to treat chronic gout are contraindicated for the treatment of acute gout flares, as they can also cause acute gout flares . Long-established uric acid-lowering therapy should continue to be administered during an acute gout flare. The symptoms of gout and the inflammatory process usually resolve in three to ten days with treatment.

Lifestyle factors, such as a diet high in certain high-purine foods, obesity and excessive alcohol use – especially heavy beer consumption – also can contribute to development of hyperuricemia and gout. Don’t wait for pills to work their way through your bloodstream and risk dangerous drug interactions. Our topical pain cream is over-the-counter gout pain medicine that works instantly.

Gout Q & A

Long-term management of gout is focused on lowering uric acid levels. The goal of therapy is to reduce serum uric acid levels to below 6 mg/dL, at minimum. In many cases, lowering uric acid levels to less than 5 mg/dL is necessary to improve the signs and symptoms of gout.

Gout, caused by high blood levels of uric acid , often runs in families. You can get tips on using supplements, but if you're considering the use of any form of alternative medicine, talk with your primary care provider first. Self-treating a condition and avoiding or delaying standard care may have serious consequences. Also keep in mind that the safety of alternative medicine in pregnant women, nursing mothers, children, and those with medical conditions or who are taking medications has not been established.

Alcoholic beverages, especially beer, and drinks sweetened with fruit sugar promote higher levels of uric acid. Gout causes intense pain and swelling around one or more joints. Gout most commonly affects the joint at the base of the big toe. An attack of gout can occur suddenly, often waking you up in the middle of the night with the sensation that your big toe is on fire. The affected joint is hot, swollen and so tender that even the weight of the bedsheet on it may seem intolerable. Although it may be tempting to have a drink to relax when you’re in pain, it’s important to avoid alcohol, especially beer, which contains high levels of purines.

It acts by inhibiting the urate transporter, URAT1, which is responsible for the majority of the renal reabsorption of uric acid. It also inhibits organic anion transporter 4 , a uric acid transporter associated with diuretic-induced hyperuricemia. In most patients, start allopurinol at 100 mg/day (50 mg/day in patients with renal insufficiency). Stamp et al have proposed that the risk of allopurinol hypersensitivity may be reduced by starting allopurinol at a dose of 1.5 mg per unit of estimated GFR.