How Will Gout Affect Me
Attacks can vary from person to person. Some people only have an attack every few years, while others have attacks every few months.
Without medication attacks tend to happen more often and other joints can become affected.
Having high urate levels and gout for a long time can lead to other health problems, including:
- narrowing of the arteries – which can lead to an increased risk of stroke or heart attacks or other heart problems
- osteoarthritis, which occurs when the urate crystals and hard tophi cause joint damage.
- an increased risk of developing kidney disease or worsening of the condition if you already have it
- kidney stones
- an increased risk of some cancers, especially prostate cancer
- mental health problems, including depression
- underactive thyroid
- erectile dysfunction in men.
If you take medication to lower your urate levels, and have a healthy diet and lifestyle, most of the damage and complications caused by gout can be stopped.
Treatments for gout are incredibly successful. There are two main parts to treating gout, which are:
- treating the acute attack
- treatments to prevent future attacks.
When Do You Need Gout Medications
Acute gout is a chronic condition. However, it does not happen to everyone, and you do not always need to take medications for gout. Based on your current condition, the physician will make the right decision. In some cases, patients need to take medications for a number of years. But, they can interact with other drugs. For this reason, you must clearly inform your physician about your medical history and the drugs you take.
You can look for medical treatment when you have frequent gout attacks, and you feel distressed:
- Joint damages are visible in your x-ray report
- There is a formation of tophi
- You have a high level of uric acid that can cause kidney stones.
Moreover, when your gout-friendly diet has not given any result, you can talk to your doctor. For patients who have gout attacks for the first time, it may not be clear about the need to reduce the uric acid level. Your physician may not like to prescribe medications after diagnosing the mild symptoms.
Some patients do not have any complications after their first gout attack. That is why you may need to wait for the symptoms and begin the treatment.
There are also patients with frequent gout attacks . Moreover, the severity of their gout attacks is another factor based on which your physician will prescribe medications.
Do The Gout Medications Have Any Side Effects
Some patients have reported that the intake of allopurinol has caused rashes. There is a very low chance of having this side effect. Moreover, although you may have rashes, they will be mild and go away within a short time.
Those who have kidney disorders may be at risk. They have a chance of experiencing side effects, including cold-like symptoms and fever. These conditions need medical attention without any delay.
Also Check: What Medications Can Cause Gout Flare Ups
It’s Easy To Get The Care You Need
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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.
Gout Remedies That Work
Gout is something that plagues more and more people every day, and its caused from uric acid buildup in the body. I want to go over my top six home gout remedies all-natural ways to beat gout symptoms but right before that, go over the diet that is crucial to get rid of gout, along with the worst food offenders.
So if you have gout, the first thing you have to do is eliminate the excess sugar and grains in your diet, as well as processed meat. That means you need to kick that sugar addiction, as sugar feeds yeast in the body and conventional grains turn into sugar. Meanwhile, those meats are full of unhealthy hormones and antibiotics, and theyre so acidic to your system. In terms of beverages, its important to stay away from alcohol. Diet- and drink-wise, those are the best things you can do right now to eliminate gout symptoms.
In terms of a gout diet, its key to begin eating plenty of vegetables, fruits and organic meats. Some of the best foods include bone broth and my Chicken Vegetable Soup recipe.
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Diagnosis And Tests For Gout
Gout and other forms of arthritis can mimic each other. Determining the presence of uric acid crystals is key to a diagnosis. Even though uric acid is the culprit for gout, testing uric acid levels through blood tests can be misleading, since many people with high uric acid levels dont develop gout.
Gout attacks typically start at night with sharp pains caused by the uric acid crystals. If you think you have gout, a visit to the doctor can help you know for sure. The doctor will try to locate the crystals to diagnose gout by extracting fluid from the joint. Analysis of the fluid reveals the presence of uric acid crystals.
Initial tests for gout involve patterns of joint use, checking for other characteristic symptoms, and examining a timetable for your pain. For chronic and long-term joint pain, X-rays and ultrasounds can show damage to the joints.
Dos And Dont For Gout
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When To Get Help For Gout Flare
It is important that you contact your doctor or visit an emergency facility if:
- This is your first flare up
- You have high fever
- You are experiencing uncontrollable chills
Additionally, it is best to consult your health care practitioner if your symptoms do not improve or get better in 48 hours. Most gout attacks end within a week but if you dont feel better within a few days, we suggest you talk to your doctor who can prescribe a different treatment plan for your unique condition.
Final words
Those who experience gout agree that it is an agonizing experience. However, it is possible to ease and get rid of gout pain fast by following a specific treatment plan. This includes taking medicines on time, taking care of diet, getting rest, and of course following the above-mentioned home remedies on how to get rid of gout pain fast.
How Does A Doctor Diagnose Gout
If you have sudden or severe pain in a joint, you should talk to your primary care provider . Your PCP may send you to a rheumatologist, a doctor who specializes in gout and other kinds of arthritis.
Healthcare providers consider several things when confirming gout:
- Symptoms: The provider will ask you to describe your symptoms, how often they happen and how long they last.
- Physical examination: Your provider will examine the affected joint to look for swelling, redness and warmth.
- Blood work: A test can measure the amount of uric acid in your blood.
- Imaging tests: You may have pictures taken of the affected joint with X-rays, an ultrasound or MRI.
- Aspiration: The provider may use a needle to pull fluid from the joint. Using a microscope, a team member can look for uric acid crystals or a different problem .
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How Is Gout Diagnosed
Your health care provider will get your complete medical history and do a physical exam. She may run these exams and tests to diagnose gout:
- Ajoint fluid analysis to see if uric acid crystals are present. This is the only certain way to diagnose gout.
- Tests to measure uric acid levels in blood and urine
There are many conditions with symptoms similar to gout. Be sure to see your doctor for a diagnosis.
Effective Medical Treatment For Gout
The American College of Rheumatology released gout management guidelines in 2012 and updated them in 2020. They recommend drugs classified as urate-lowering therapy for those who have experienced two or more gout attacks in a year as well as for those with joint damage from gout.
Specifically, the organization recommends allopurinol as a first-line treatment for all gout patients, even those with chronic kidney disease. Next in line is febuxostat both are a class of drugs called xanthine oxidase inhibitors.
In addition, the guidelines recommend use of anti-inflammatory medications including NSAIDs, prednisone, or colchicine along with the other medication.
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What Can Trigger A Gout Attack
Several things can cause the crystals to shake loose into your joint cavity, triggering an attack. These include:
- a knock or injury to the joint
- an illness that may make you feverish
- having an operation
- having an unusually large meal, especially a fatty meal
- drinking too much alcohol
- dehydration
- starting urate lowering therapy, especially at a high dose, or not taking your treatment regularly each day.
Uric Acid Is The Cause
When there is an overabundance of uric acid in the blood it is called gout. Usually, having too much uric acid in the blood is not harmful. In fact many people with high levels in their blood never know about it. When uric acid levels in the blood become extremely high, the uric acid may start to form crystals. These crystals most commonly form in the joints, especially the joints in the big toe. Your odds of experiencing the pain of gout are higher if you are overweight, drink excessive amounts of alcohol, or have a diet that is comprised of meat and fish that are high in chemicals called purines.
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How To Get Rid Of Gout Pain Fast
Dealing with sudden gout pain is not easy as the pain may occur from mild to severe with inflammation in the joint.
It is essential to show awareness and act fast if you experience such a situation at midnight to get some relief.
We have provided a list of the most common Immediate Gout Pain Relief below-
How Is Gout Treated
When you have a gout attack, pain relief is your first goal. Its important to call your doctor even if the pain has stopped. The uric acid buildup that triggered your gout attack may still be irritating your joints and could eventually cause seriousdamage, like joint destruction and kidney damage.
Your doctor may:
- Give you a shot of corticosteroids to ease discomfort quickly
- Prescribe a long-term medication that can prevent and even reverse uric acid buildup
- Recommend lifestyle changes or alternative treatments
Theres a lot you can do on your own to ease symptoms:
- Rest the affected joint until the attack passes and for 24 hours after the attack.
- Elevate painful joints.
- Use ice to reduce swelling.
- Relieve inflammation with NSAIDS . Avoid aspirin, which can worsen symptoms.
- Limit alcohol, especially beer and hard liquor.
- Cut back on meat and seafood, which can raise uric acid levels.
- Follow a moderate exercise program.
- Control your weight. Being overweight increases your risk for gout.
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What Causes Gout To Flare Up :
Gout is caused due to the excess of uric acid formation by the body which may be the result of lifestyle, weight or food.
High uric acid levels may be the result of over production of uric acid or the in-efficient process of kidneys, although not every human body develops gout. Uric acid is a substance that is made when our body breaks down purines.High uric acid levels leads to the accumulation of uric acid crystals in joints resulting the inflammation and swelling.
Take Caution With Supplements For Gout
As for the many supplements and other purported home remedies available for gout, including turmeric and bromelain, there is no significant evidence backing them up as of now, and theres no adequate evidence showing that supplements have any effect even comparable to that of medicines.
From my point of view, says Dr. Fields, the home remedy concept to gout is often harmful because it keeps patients from taking medications that we know are effective.
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Gout Vs Pseudogout: How Can We Tell
Pseudogout is inflammatory arthritis caused by the. the build-up of calcium crystals in joints. As the name suggests, pseudogout looks like gout.
Generally, it can be challenging to differentiate between the two. However, there are clues as to whether symptoms are pseudogout or gout.
First, unlike gout, pseudogout tends to affect older people in their 60s and 70s. Second, pseudogout affects the knees, ankles, and wrists rather than the toes. Finally, attacks of pseudogout can last for many weeks and sometimes months rather than days in gout.
Whats The Outlook For People With Gout
Untreated gout can lead to permanent joint damage. The buildup of uric acid in the joints and soft tissue is called tophus. Some people with gout can also develop other health problems, such as severe arthritis, kidney stones and heart disease. Its important to discuss your symptoms with a healthcare provider.
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Pain And Swelling Are Gouts Calling Cards
The most frequent signs of a gout attack are swelling, tenderness, redness, and a sharp pain in your big toe. These attacks are most common at night when you are sitting still and laying flat on your back. While gout usually manifests in the big toe, you may also experience gout attacks in your foot, ankle, or knees. The attacks can be short or long, anywhere from a few days to weeks and you may not have another attack may for months or years.
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 .
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Gout Pain Relief At Home
Most of the gout pain is subject to medical treatment. Proper medication not only helps to reduce the pain but also helps to lower the risk of future flares.
But the best option to avoid complications regarding gout pain is to maintain a few preventive steps in our lifestyle and food habit.
We should increase our fluid intake so that the uric acid can flush out properly from the body.
Stop taking alcohol, especially beer.
Manage your body weight.
Avoid foods that contain high purines.
Include complex carbohydrates.
Avoid the intake of excess sugar.
Do exercise regularly to maintain your body weight as obesity is one of the causes of a gout attack.
Include plant-based proteins and vegetables in your diet.
What Happens At Your Appointment
The GP may ask about your diet and if you drink alcohol.
They may refer you to see a specialist and arrange a blood test and scan. Sometimes a thin needle is used to take a sample of fluid from inside the affected joint, to test it.
The blood test will find out how much of a chemical called uric acid there is in your blood.
Having too much uric acid in your blood can lead to crystals forming around your joints, which causes pain.
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Immediate Relief Expert Care
Gout pain in your toes and feet can be extremely uncomfortable. While these home remedies may offer temporary relief, you might need professional care.
If you begin fevering, this is often a sign of infection. Dont wait to come in.
Weve got a full team ready to help, right away. Visit our contact page to make a quick appointment or give us a call today at 239.936.5400.
Q What Is The Fastest Way To Get Rid Of Gout
A. How to treat gout at home? This is what you will do when the gout pain begins-
- The application of an ice pack to the painful joint, Begin treatment quickly with ibuprofen over-the-counter medication.
- Drinking plenty of water helps to wash out uric acid. It is necessary to stop alcohol, particularly beer, that mainly contains high purine levels.
- Avoid consuming aggravating high purine foods, such as shellfish, red meat, organ meats, game meats, fruit juice, sugary sodas and alcohol.
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S To Care For Yourself During A Gout Attack
There are some steps you can take at home to help ease the pain of gout, encourage kidney function, and lower the levels of uric acid thats triggering and worsening your flare-up:
- Increase your fluids, especially water
- Dont resist the urge to urinate
- Rest, elevate, and ice your painful joints
- Take an anti-inflammatory pain medication like ibuprofen or naproxen
- Use epsom salt soaks
- Take any prescribed medicines that decrease your uric acid levels
- Eat foods and supplements that lower uric acid, such as magnesium, sour cherries, ginger, and celery
- Stay away from alcohol, shellfish, and red meat, which cause your body to make uric acid