Try To Decrease Stress
A life without stress is impossible these days. There is no single method to avoid it unless you live in the wild. A natural treatment for gout can be to use methods that decrease stress. The best examples are exercising, yoga, meditation, reading, and anything that makes you happy.
But why stress affects gout? Stress decreases the production of pantothenic acid. When this acid is low, the uric acid level will be high and we all know what that means! Try to find a way to decrease stress at all cost.
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S For Preventing Future Gout Attack:
Before talking about curing gout pain it is mandatory for everyone who is suffering or have suffered from gout to closely monitor their diet and avoid certain foods and beverages which may act as a trigger for gout attacks.
I would like to share some foods which should be avoided if possible by those having high uric acid levels. Food that contains high amount of purine should be eliminated.
Foods that are rich in Purines
Sea food, dried beans,meat and lentils are high in purine. Alcohol consumption should be completely replaced with water as alcohol contains high level of purines. With avoiding purine rich foods it is good to maintain a healthy weight for preventing future gout attacks.
Some Home Remedies For Gout
- Try apple cider vinegar Helping to make the body more alkaline, apple cider vinegar has become a well-known proven solution for countless ailments, including gout. Try mixing 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in 8 ounces of water. You can either drink it in one sitting or sip on it over time try both methods and see which is more effective. This solution can reduce pain by 90% within a day or two. Note: Be sure to use organic apple cider vinegar with the mother.
- Baking Soda Among other home remedies for gout is the use of baking soda. Mixing baking soda in water can effectively relieve pain almost instantly, though it may take 1-2 days. Mix 1/2 teaspoon baking soda in 8 oz. of water and drink it in one sitting. You may need to repeat this a few times a day, taking as much as 3 teaspoons total. Reduce the dose as the pain goes away. Note: The maximum recommended dose is 4 teaspoons throughout the day. Lastly, use caution if you suffer from hypertension, as baking soda may raise blood pressure when taken in larger amounts.
- Eliminate sugar and soda Whether its caffeinated or not, drinking two sodas each day can increase your risk of gout by a whopping 85%! Why? Sugar! Reduce sugar intake dramatically and risk of experiencing gout will dramatically drop.
- Hydrate Drink plenty of water. This will help flush out the excess uric acid.
- Reduce alcohol consumption Alcohol dehydrates the body and could raise uric acid levels in the blood.
- Reduce caffeine intake.
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Drink Drink Drink Water
Uric acid in your blood is the culprit. The excessive uric acid that cant be excreted out of your system by your kidneys not only forms kidney stones but also leads to gout by crystallizing itself at the joints. The pain and swelling at your big toe or at heels, ankles, knees and elbows are caused by crystallization of this excess uric acid only. So, its better to expel it out of your body before it gets a chance to crystallize. For this, you have to drink a lot of water. Water in your case or anyone who suffers from gout is the elixir of life! Make it a habit of drinking a glass of water every 30-40 minutes. You can even have other healthy beverages like coconut water, lime juice and fruit juices. If so, you may keep your water intake somewhat low but ensure that whatever amount of fluid you are having during the day, half of it should be water.
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Risk Factors For Gout And Diabetes
Many of the same things can make your chances of having gout or diabetes go up. You may be more likely to get them if you:
- Are overweight or obese. If you carry extra fat on your body, youâre more likely to have both gout and type 2 diabetes.
- Drink too much alcohol. Moderate amounts of alcohol — one drink a day for women and men over 65 and two for men 65 and younger — may actually lower your chances of getting diabetes. But too much can affect how your pancreas releases insulin, which can lead to type 2 diabetes. More than two drinks a day can also up your odds of gout.
- Have a family history of them. If one of your family members has had gout or diabetes, youâre more likely to get these diseases, too.
- Have other health problems. High cholesterol and high blood pressure are linked to both conditions.
The Four Stages Of Gout
Gout is best understood by seeing it as having four phases or stages :
Stage 1: High uric acid
Elevated uric acid without gout or kidney stone, this stage has no symptoms and is generally not treated.
Stage 2: Acute flares
This stage is marked by acute gout attacks causing pain and inflammation in one or more joints.
Stage 3: Intercritical periods
These are periods of time between acute attacks, during which a person feels normal but is at risk for recurrence of acute attacks.
Stage 4: Advanced gout
This is a stage of chronic gouty arthritis, in which there are lumps of uric acid, or tophi , frequent attacks of acute gout, and often a degree of pain even between attacks .
Figure 1: Stages of Gout
Figure 2: Illustration of Toe Joint with Gouty Tophus. normal toe joint Urate crystals, shown in white, at the bunion joint, represent a gouty tophus.)
Figure 3: Progression of Gout
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Drink A Lot Of Water Daily
The simplest, the most effective, and the most popular of all home remedies for gout is to drink water, a lot of it. This remedy will boost the work of your kidneys and eliminate excess fluid. In other words, you will notice a decrease in swelling. Yes, you can consume other fluids, but water is the cheapest and works the best. Sodas and alcoholic beverages must be avoided completely.
Adding lemon to the water is even more effective. Squeeze a couple of lemons in 2 liters of water and drink it the entire day. Now you get 2 benefits. The first one is mentioned earlier when you drink pure water and the second is a decrease of uric acid thanks to lemon juice.
Remember that people who suffer from kidney disease or heart failure should consult their doctor before using the remedy!
Symptoms Of Gout In Feet
Usually, the first attack of gout is in the joints of the big toe. However, it can cause symptoms in other joints, including feet. The sufferer experiences sudden and severe pain in the joints of feet. The pain lasts for a few hours.
There may be swelling, redness, and inflammation in the affected joint. The joint becomes extremely tender to touch or to move. The sufferer may feel warmth in the affected area.
The joint in the feet may become stiff, causing difficulty in movement. If neglected, there may be permanent damage and disability in the feet joint, making it difficult to walk or perform daily activities. In severe cases, there is the deposition of uric acid forming lumps under the skin, the condition is known as tophi.
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When Is Surgery Considered For Gout
The question of surgery for gout most commonly comes up when a patient has a large clump of urate crystals , which is causing problems. This may be if the tophus is on the bottom of the foot, and the person has difficulty walking on it, or on the side of the foot making it hard to wear shoes. An especially difficult problem is when the urate crystals inside the tophus break out to the skin surface. This then can allow bacteria a point of entry, which can lead to infection, which could even track back to the bone. Whenever possible, however, we try to avoid surgery to remove tophi. The problem is that the crystals are often extensive, and track back to the bone, so there is not a good healing surface once the tophus is removed. In some rare cases, such as when a tophus is infected or when its location is causing major disability, surgical removal may be considered.
Since it is hard to heal the skin after a tophus is removed, a skin graft may be needed. For this reason, we often try hard to manage the tophus medically. If we give high doses of medication to lower the urate level, such as allopurinol, over time the tophus will gradually reabsorb. In severe cases, we may consider using the intravenous medication pegloticase , since it lowers the urate level the most dramatically, and can lead to the fastest shrinkage of the tophus.
Using Epsom Salt While Taking A Bath
Epsom salt has been used as an alternative medicine for decades. It is mandatory to remember that you must not drink or consume epsom salt in any form. The only way to use it is to add 1-2 cups to warm water while taking a bath. Apparently, it will be absorbed by the skin and directly affect the inflammation thanks to high levels of magnesium. If you consume plenty of foods rich in magnesium, there is no need to use both of these remedies. But, if you want soft skin, you may want to try epsom salt.
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Who Is Affected By Gout
Gout can affect anyone. It usually occurs earlier in men than women. It generally occurs after menopause in women. Men can be three times more likely than women to get it because they have higher levels of uric acid most of their lives. Women reach these uric acid levels after menopause.
People are more likely to get gout if they have:
- Obesity, or a lot of extra weight.
You are also more likely to develop gout if you:
- Consume a diet high in animal proteins
- Consume a significant amount of alcohol
- Are on water pills .
Goat Treatment Diet To Follow
A low purine diet is recommended for people who are suffering from gout. Reduce your purine intake by knowing what to eat and what to avoid. Avoid specific food during joint pain will help a lot. One of the recommendations in the home remedies for gout is to stay on a low purine diet.
High consumption of fructose may increase uric acid levels in the blood and become insulin resistance. By being selective you can prevent a gout attack.
Limit these foods or eat in moderation.
- Meat red meat, pork, and lamb
- Organ meats kidney, liver, heart, ox, and sweetbreads
- Meat extracts broth, stock, gravies, and Bovril
- Fish mackerel, sardines, anchovies, shrimps, crabs, herrings, fish roes, crabs, shrimps, and sprats
- Vegetables asparagus, beans, and peas
- Sugary foods/ drinks bread, cakes, doughnuts, cereals, jarred sauces, and soft drinks
Basically, a healthy balanced diet can provide enough nutrients and reduce the chances of getting gout attacks.
Consume the following food daily
- Plenty of fruits and vegetables
- Starchy carbohydrates quinoa, barley, oats, potatoes, rice, and wheat
- Low-fat dairy products skimmed milk, low-fat yogurt, and low fat cottage cheese
- Some meat, fish, eggs, lentils, chickpeas, nuts and beans .
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What To Do During An Attack
You should:
- take any medication you’ve been prescribed as early as possible after you notice an attack this should start to have an effect within two or three days
- rest and raise the limb
- avoid knocking or damaging the affected joint
- keep the joint cool remove surrounding clothing and apply an ice pack, such as a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel
- ensure you’re well hydrated
Apply the ice pack to your joint for around 20 minutes. Don’t apply ice directly to your skin and don’t apply it for more than 20 minutes at a time because this could damage the skin.
If necessary, you can keep reapplying an ice pack to your skin during an attack, but you should wait until your skin has returned to a normal temperature first.
Home Remedies For Gout
Because of the rise in health care costs and the popular inclination to try natural home remedies to prevent the need for prescription drugs and surgeries, many people are turning toward alternative remedies to treat gout. A number of these home remedies have been acknowledged for treating gout. But, are they effective or not? We will present a number of them below and discuss their likelihood of success.
1. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is used to treat gout because its acidity relieves the acute pain associated with gout and other types of arthritis. The vinegar increases the bodys alkalinity and has anti-inflammatory properties. Some individuals also add honey to the apple cider vinegar because of honeys anti-inflammatory properties.
The bad news is that you take the concoction by the spoonful, and apple cider vinegar isnt exactly known for its amazing taste. To be most effective, you need to take up to two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar three times a day. Scientific results are lacking in evidence that apple cider vinegar really works. There was a study in Japan in 2010 which looked at different diets to improve alkalization of urine to increase the removal of uric acid from the body. Apple cider vinegar was in one of the diets, but was not tested alone.
Success stories are hit or miss with apple cider vinegar and the treatment of gout. We give it two stars.
2. Ginger Root
3. Baking Soda
4. Lemon Juice
5. Epsom Salt
6. Cherries
7. Bananas
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Diagnostic Evaluation Of Gout In Foot
What goes into a gout diagnosis? These procedures are options:
- Joint aspiration. Fluid is withdrawn from the joint and inspected for crystals and bacteria.
- Blood tests. White blood cell count, ESR , triglycerides, and kidney function may be elevated.
- X-ray. An x-ray of the affected joint is likely to appear normal during an initial acute episode, but in chronic gout, bone erosion and overhanging edges may be seen.
It’s Easy To Get The Care You Need
See a Premier Physician Network provider near you.
If you havegout, youre all too familiar with the sudden, burning joint pain that a gout attack can bring on most commonly in the big toe.
Gout a type ofarthritis is caused by too much uric acid in the blood. Usually, having an excess of uric acid isnt harmful. In fact, many people with high levels in their blood never get gout. But when uricacid levels in your blood are too high, the uric acid may form hard crystals in your joints.
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Pain Relief Without Medicine
Use cold. If your pain isn’t too bad, try cold packs or compresses on the joint to lower inflammation and soothe the ache. Wrap ice in a thin towel and apply it to the joint for up to 20 minutes several times a day. Do not apply ice to your hands or feet if you have nerve problems from diabetes or other causes.
Rest the joint. It’s a good idea to rest it until the pain eases up. You probably won’t want to move it much anyway. If you can, raise the joint on a pillow or other soft object.
Drink water. When your body doesnât have enough water, your uric acid levels rise even higher. Stay hydrated to help keep those levels normal.
Watch what you eat and drink. Foods that are high in substances called purines, such as some seafood, organ meats like liver, and fatty foods, can raise the uric acid in your blood even more. So can fructose-sweetened drinks and alcohol — especially beer.
Its Easy To Get The Care You Need
See a Premier Physician Network provider near you.
If you havegout, youre all too familiar with the sudden, burning joint pain that a gout attack can bring on most commonly in the big toe.
Gout a type ofarthritis is caused by too much uric acid in the blood. Usually, having an excess of uric acid isnt harmful. In fact, many people with high levels in their blood never get gout. But when uricacid levels in your blood are too high, the uric acid may form hard crystals in your joints.
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Foods Herbs And Supplements
The following have shown at least some promise for gout.
Coffee. According to the Mayo Clinic, theres evidence that drinking a moderate amount of coffee a day can lower gout risk.
Antioxidant-rich fruits. Dark-colored fruits like blackberries, blueberries, grapes, raspberries, and especially cherries can help keep uric acid under control.
Vitamin C. Consuming moderate amounts of vitamin C is also connected to lower uric acid levels. However, very large doses of the vitamin can actually raise uric acid levels.
Other supplements. There are also herbal supplements that have been found to effectively reduce inflammation including devils claw, bromelain, and turmeric. These havent been specifically studied for gout, but they may help with the swelling and pain associated with an attack.