My "sprained Ankles" Turned Out To Be Uncontrolled Gout

Content

• Gout And Gout Attack Treatment
• Important Information
• Home Remedies For Gout Foot & Toe Pain

SOS provides total orthopedic care for a wide range of joint and muscle injuries, chronic musculoskeletal conditions and pain management. There is a reason why so many SOS patients recommend us to family and friends. We empower patients to understand their care plan and respect their time and schedules in a friendly, approachable manner. A steroid injection can also relieve inflammation and pain. Our goals are to relieve the pressure on the bunion and slow its progression. Padding and taping can relieve pain and keep the foot in a normal position.

To help diagnose gout, your doctor may check your blood uric acid levels in between attacks to see if they run high. Increased levels of uric acid , in the blood are the cause of gout. When this happens, severe pain, inflammation and a gout attack occur. When the body breaks down chemicals called purines, uric acid is produced. These purines are found in the body as well as in foods such as organ meat, asparagus, mushrooms and herring. It is important to recognize that although almost uniformly all patients with gout have hyperuricemia …all patients with hyperuricemia do not have gout.

Gout And Gout Attack Treatment

These drugs may be given by mouth, through an intravenous line into your bloodstream, or injected directly into the joint. There are some potential adverse side effects of these medications. It may take a bit of time to find the most effective drug with the least intolerable side effects for some patients. Most importantly, one should start drug treatment during the first few days of an attack to get the best results.

What does gout pain feel like?

If you have gout, you'll probably feel swelling and pain in the joints of your foot, particularly your big toe. Sudden and intense pain, or gout attacks, can make it feel like your foot is on fire.

And while historically gout was associated with the big toe, the condition is becoming more common in other places—joints like the hands, foot, or ankle. Applying an ice pack to the painful joint may help ease pain and inflammation. Wrap a pack in a dish cloth and apply to the area for 20- to 30-minutes at a stretch several times a day. Other common sources of ankle pain include sprain, fracture and inflammation of the Achilles tendon that runs from the calf to the heel bone . This site is for educational purposes only; no information is intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice.

Important Information

Drink Plenty of Water - Water helps eliminate waste and toxins, and is known to help reduce swelling caused by gout in your feet. Most doctors suggest that you drink at least eight glasses of water a day. You can prevent gout by adopting a healthier lifestyle that minimizes meat and alcohol and increases your intake of water and low-fat dairy. Call us today or request an appointment online to get a handle on your gout symptoms. When you meet with us about your gout, we complete a thorough examination, including your current and past health issues.

Why is gout so painful?

Gout is caused by a build-up of a substance called uric acid in the blood. If you produce too much uric acid or your kidneys don't filter enough out, it can build up and cause tiny sharp crystals to form in and around joints. These crystals can cause the joint to become inflamed (red and swollen) and painful.

A March 2021 study published in Arthritis Research and Therapy revealed gaining weight through adulthood was associated with a higher risk of gout. More often than not, gout flare-ups happen in the middle of the night, interrupting a peaceful slumber with intense pain. The worst pain usually occurs within the first 24 hours. As mentioned, NSAIDs can relieve pain, but they are usually more effective if taken as soon as the pain hits. If the ankle isn’t too sensitive, apply an ice pack (wrap it in a cloth first!) to the swollen area. But golf-ball-size swelling isn’t typical of an initial attack of ankle gout.

There are a number of minerals and spices that can help to reduce inflammation and gout pain, found right in your kitchen cabinets or as supplements at your local pharmacy. Fortunately, there are a number of home remedies that can help to relieve the pain for many sufferers. Foods such as steak, seafood, organ meats, and drinks containing alcohol or high fructose sugars can up the risk. Beer is especially problematic, so if you are prone to painful attacks, you will want to limit your consumption of this beverage.

You can prevent arch pain by proper-fitting wearing shoes with good arch support. Check with your doctor first before starting a new medicine. Crutches or a boot can help the foot rest as can activity modifications. Exercising without a proper warm-up and stretching can contribute to this inflammation. Individuals with tight tendons, flat feet or arthritis are prone to tendonitis. You may have lots of questions and concerns in these uncertain times, and I wanted to take this opportunity to reassure you that we’re here to support your Foot and Ankle needs.

Gout And Your Kidneys

Uric acid builds up either because of too much uric acid intake or the body's inability to process it. The uric acid then crystalizes in the joints - mainly the toes, ankles, hands and wrists - causing the painful inflammation of a gouty attack . In severe cases, increased uric acid can cause kidney stones and blockages of the kidney filtration system , and then permanent damage to the kidney or even kidney failure. Again, it’s still possible to experience gout attacks with chronic gout. When you have chronic gout, you can have flares—a period of time when your symptoms intensify. Therefore, you need to be able to recognize the signs of a gout attack and work hard to prevent attacks.

The prevalence of gout has increased in both older and younger people. The increase in younger people is not explained, but the increase in older people, at least in part, relates to increased life span, increased weight and increased use of diuretics. Diuretics are used commonly for hypertension, for example, and they elevate the blood levels of uric acid and can increase the risk of gout. Most doctors urge you to use an NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) as a first step to ease the pain of a gout attack. Gout pain is known to last up to 10 days, but taking an NSAID within the first 24 hours often shortens the duration. These drugs do have side effects though, so discuss these with your doctor before using them on your own.

When the body is producing too much uric acid, or the kidneys are unable to filter and get rid of enough uric acid, it can build up in the blood stream. The high concentration of uric acid will want to settle out of the blood. Joints, specifically the big toe joint, are the coldest parts of the body; owing to the fact that there is less blood flow through a joint. The uric acid in the blood will settle into the join, crystalizing. The body recognizes these uric acid crystals as foreign objects.

Home Remedies For Gout Foot & Toe Pain

Repeated gout attacks can lead to damage and deformity of the joint, as well as, the development of topheaous deposits around the joint. The good news is that there are life style changes that may reduce the risk of an attack. There are also medications available to an acute attack and prevent subsequent attacks. The joint affected is usually the great toe joint, but subsequent attacks can occur anywhere. The attack usually occurs at night or is first noticed when you wake up in the morning. The pain is so intense that the sheet touching the joint is excruciating.