Gout Remedies That Actually Work!

Information on Gout and Gout Remedies

Gout is one of the forms of arthritis. An attack of it can come on suddenly, and typically it starts in the big toe. This attack can cause burning sensation along with pain. The joint also becomes swollen and stiff. When left untreated gout can cause damage to the affected joints. Luckily, there are gout remedies, which provide relief for the condition and can lessen the occurrence of it.

What are the Symptoms for this Condition?

There are a number of symptoms to look out for with gout, and they are listed below:

• One symptom is pain occurring in the middle of the night in the joint of the big toe. It can also affect other parts of the body such as the feet and hands. This pain can be quite severe and can increase to reach its threshold within 24 hours. When this symptom occurs, the person should start looking into gout remedies.

• The attack can go on for several days or more, after the worst of the pain has subsided. Even, after it has gone away, it can reoccur and when it does it could last longer than the first one.

• A fever could accompany the other symptoms.

• Inflammation and swelling in the affected joint. This could cause the joint to feel warm to the touch. Often times, the joint in this condition is too tender to stand being touched by anything including the sheets on the bed. Only one of the gout remedies will help this.

Causes for Gout

 

Gout is caused from too much uric acid in the system. This is either due to the body overproducing it or not being able to eliminate it. If the uric acid accumulates in the joint fluid, then crystals (tophi) of it can form. It is these crystals that inflame the joint and cause it to swell. It is important for the sufferer of this condition to seek out gout remedies.

Who is at Risk for Gout?

 

There are certain risk factors that can increase a person’s chances for getting gout. Some of these are listed below:

• Drinking too much alcohol can increase risk. More than two drinks a day is enough to heighten the chance for this condition to happen.

• Males suffer from gout more than females. Females produce more uric acid in their bodies that males do, so men are more at risk for this condition.

• Eating a diet high in unhealthy fats can cause gout. These fats can also cause other health problems. Gout remedies often include lifestyle changes in diet.

• Certain medical conditions make a person more likely to suffer from gout. Arteriosclerosis is just one example of this. Kidney disease is also a culprit for causing this condition to occur it can keep the blood from being filtered to rid the body of uric acid. Also, high blood pressure left untreated can increase risk of this condition occurring. Thyroid disorders can bring about attacks of gout.

• Family history is another contributing factor to a person’s risk for developing gout. This is one reason it is important for people to know their family’s medical history.

• Use of medications such as aspirin and diuretics can lead to this painful problem happening. There are other drugs too one should consult the doctor and/or pharmacist before taking medication if this is a concern.

• Being exposed to lead in one’s occupation could also be a risk of uric acid building up in the bloodstream. This could lead to gout.

• The older one gets the more likely he/she can develop this form of arthritis. From about mid-40s on up there is an increased risk. This is due many times to health, weight or lifestyle issues.

• Organ transplants such as with the heart, liver and kidneys, can increase a person’s risk for gout. Even the medications given to prevent organ rejection can increase the person’s risk. If this has anything to do with the gout occurring, it will need to be taken into consideration to choose the correct one of the gout remedies to use.

• Being overweight contributes to this condition. Too much excess fat has all sorts of adverse effects on the body’s ability to function correctly. One of these adverse effects is an increase in uric acid in the body.

• Certain foods contain purines and these are transformed into uric acid in the body. This means a diet too high in these purines could lead to gout occurring.

Diagnostic Procedures

 

When going to the doctor to get a diagnosis for suspected gout one can expect the following to occur:

1. The doctor will do a physical exam first and ask the person his/her medical history. This doctor will also want to know if other family members ever suffered with this condition, before prescribing one of the gout remedies.

2. Blood tests will then be ordered to find out the uric acid levels in the bloodstream. This is not the only indicator for gout, because the levels could go back to normal during and after an attack of gout. Many people can also have high levels of uric acid and not suffer from gout.

3. A procedure called arthrocentesis is used to draw synovial fluid (joint fluid) for analysis for the presence of uric acid crystals.

4. The joints are typically X-rayed to determine the condition of the joints, and if tophi crystals are present.

Once a proper diagnosis is made, the right treatment or remedy can be recommend

Gout Remedies and Treatments

Medical treatment for gout typically includes drugs being prescribed. Which one a doctor would recommend depends on the individual’s state of health and how severe the case of gout is. These drugs could include the ones listed below:

1. NSAIDs or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications can be either prescribed for the gout or bought over the counter. This would depend on the drug and dosage required. These are effective in relieving the pain and inflammation that accompanies an attack of gout. They can also keep attacks from happening in the future. Some of the NSAIDs can have unpleasant side effects such as ulcers, stomach pain and bleeding. In some individuals, skin rashes can occur. It is advisable to start with low doses and gradually work up to the needed higher dose.

2. For those people not being able to handle the NSAIDs colchicine could be prescribed. This is highly effective when administered quickly after an attack has occurred. But this drug comes with a warning of the adverse side effects of diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Once the attack has subsided the dose is typically altered for use as a preventative.

3. Corticosteroids can also reduce the gout pain and inflammation. These could be prescribed in pill form or injected into the affected joint. They are typically not the first treatment of choice and only prescribe when the other gout remedies listed above cannot be tolerated or are not successful. Using these for too long can have some negative side effect.

4. The doctor might also prescribed a medication to control the level of uric acid in the system, if a patient has gout attacks on a regular basis. These could be xanthine oxidase inhibitors, which inhibit the amount of uric acid the body can produce, or probenecid to help the kidneys flush out the uric acid from the system. All these medications can have some bad effects, so the doctor should be asked about them before the drugs being taken.

Home Gout Remedies

Although, medications are the first line of defense with relieving the pain and inflammation of gout, there are some home gout remedies that can help during an attack. These have to do with the type of diet the person should and should not eat. The list is as follows:

• Alcohol should NOT be consumed.

• A total of 8 to 16 cups of fluids should be drunk on a daily basis half of them should be water.

• Coffee has been proven in some studies to be effective in lowering the levels for uric acid.

• Only 4 to 6 ounces of fish, poultry and meat should be eaten each day.

• Eating cherries can lower the body’s level of uric acid. Some other dark colored fruits can also be beneficial in relieving the symptoms of gout.

• Moderate amounts of healthy protein such as eggs, tofu or low-fat or non-fat dairy should be eaten.

Natural Ways to Control Pain

There are some natural ways to control pain a person can try until he/she can get to the doctor. Deep-breathing exercises can help focus his/her mind onto other things, which helps relax the body and relieve pain. Meditation is helpful in the same way. Sometimes with mild cases of gout these could be sufficient gout remedies at least for the pain.

For relief of gout, a person should examine both his lifestyle and food choices, along with seeking medical care. There are effective, gout remedies, so no one needs to suffer needlessly with the condition. The person dealing with it just needs to seek out the right treatment for him/her.