Can Massaging Your Big Toe Cure Gout
Category: HealthPosted: 16 May 2019
Posted: 16 May 2019
Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis that can cause sudden and acute pain in certain joints of your body. The pain is often accompanied by swelling in the affected area. Gout pain is most commonly felt in the big toe, but can also affect the joints in your fingers, knees, elbows or wrists.
Gout usually affects men who are middle-aged and older, but can affect women too, especially after menopause. The condition is caused by an excess of uric acid in the blood that assembles over time and forms into crystalline deposits. These deposits end up against the cartilage and bones that form our joints and cause severe pain and swelling.
Some people have gout as a hereditary condition but often it occurs as a result of poor diet and lifestyle choices over a longer period of time. It is painful and miserable to suffer from gout but the good news is that the condition does not usually lead to long-term joint damage. Furthermore, if you spot it and take action soon, gout can be relatively easily controlled and treated.
How To Get Gout Relief At Home
This article was co-authored by Siddharth Tambar, MD. Dr. Siddharth Tambar, MD is a board certified rheumatologist at Chicago Arthritis and Regenerative Medicine in Chicago, Illinois. With over 19 years of experience, Dr. Tambar specializes in Regenerative Medicine and Rheumatology, with a focus on Platelet rich plasma and Bone marrow derived stem cell treatments for arthritis, tendinitis, injuries, and back pain. Dr. Tambar holds a BA in Economics from State University of New York at Buffalo. He earned his MD from State University of New York at Syracuse. He completed his Internship, Residency in Internal Medicine, and his Rheumatology Fellowship at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Dr Tambar is board certified in both rheumatology and internal medicine. He also holds Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Diagnostic and Interventional certifications from the American College of Rheumatology and the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 466,423 times.
Dont Let Big Toe Joint Pain Affect Your Quality Of Life
Many people dont stop to think about it, but our feet and toes are vital parts of the body. They can move us forward in our activities, and most of our weight sits on top of them. When one part of that system breaks down or is in pain, it can affect the rest of the body. Hopefully, this guide has prepared you on how to recognize big toe joint pain and will lead you to the right method of treatment for your particular discomfort.
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Its 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.
Common Myths About Gout
Drinking too much alcohol and eating too much rich food were once considered the prime suspects in causing gout. Although eating certain foods and drinking alcohol may cause uric acid levels to spike, these habits alone may not cause gout.
A recent study indicates that our DNA is a key factor in gout flare-ups. Researchers found that diet was less important than genetics in determining whether or not patients would develop high levels of uric acid.
If you suspect you have gout, make an appointment with your doctor to be tested and learn how to prevent or reduce future gout attacks.
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Do Gout Medications Have Any Side Effects
- Gout medications are well tolerated by most people. However, like other medications, they have potential side effects.
- Allopurinol is well tolerated by most people, but in some people, it can cause an allergicrash. Very severe rashes rarely can occur after taking allopurinol, and any allergic type rashes that develop while a patient is taking allopurinol are taken seriously.
- Colchicine can cause signs and symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, and rarely muscle weakness and abnormal blood counts.
- Probenecid is generally well tolerated but should not be used in patients who have uric acid kidney stones, as it can worsen the kidney stones and potentially harm the kidneys in these patients.
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 âbunion joint,â represent a gouty tophus.)
Figure 3: Progression of Gout
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What Are Symptoms Of Gout
Chances are you wont even know you have gout until youve experienced your first painful attack, often at night. Symptoms may not develop for years, but these often include:
- Arthritis that develops quickly, resulting in a swollen, red, and warm joint with limited movement
- An arthritis attack in only one joint often the big toe, as well as a foot, ankle, or knee
- Bright red or purplish skin around the affected joint
- More than one attack of acute arthritis
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.
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Gout In Foot: Causes And Risk Factors
In about 90 percent of hyperuricaemia cases, there is impaired renal excretion in about 10 percent, there is a problem with overproduction.
- Urate overproduction can be linked to lifestyle factors and certain diseases such as bone marrow cancers, psoriasis, and hemolytic anemia. Lifestyle factors include being overweight and ingesting excess amount of fructose or alcohol.
- Renal impairment has multiple causes, including gene mutations, hypertension, diuretic drugs, lead exposure, and cyclosporine immunosuppressive therapy.
- Gender and age. Men are twice as likely to develop gout as women. In men, the risk rises with age. Gout is uncommon in younger women but the incidence increases dramatically after menopause, due to falling estrogen.
- Western diet. There is solid evidence from the Health Professional Follow-up Study of a link between gout and purine-rich foods. See gout diet.
- Medications. Diuretics, antihypertensives, niacin, aspirin, chemotherapy and immunosuppressive drugs increase the risk of gout.
- Other conditions. Certain conditions carry an increased risk of gout including: Recent joint injury or surgery, cardiovascular disease, chronic pulmonary disease, anemia, psoriasis, renal disease, blood cancers, and metabolic syndrome.
What To Do During An Attack
You should:
- take any medication youve 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 youre well hydrated
Apply the ice pack to your joint for around 20 minutes. Dont apply ice directly to your skin and dont 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.
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Help From Your Podiatrist During A Gout Attack
If your gout flare-up is so painful that youre having trouble being productive, please come see us at one of our convenient locations. We understand how painful gout is and work with you to provide immediate relief, while also taking measures to prevent future flare-ups. Some of the treatment options we offer include:
- Corticosteroids injections or pills
- Anti-inflammatory medications
- Nutrition counseling
In severe cases when medication doesnt help your symptoms, you may need a surgical procedure to eliminate uric acid crystals that accumulate in your affected joint.
Partner with us to prevent gout or treat a flare-up. in Chesterfield, Clinton Township, Fort Gratiot, East China Township, Shelby Township, or Rochester, Michigan or .
Foot Trauma Or Injuries
Patients who have sustained a focal injury to a portion of the cartilage of the great toe joint, specifically athletes, may also go on to develop arthritis of this joint. This injury may have happened in their teens and twenties, unbeknownst to the patient, but the arthritis may present much later in life.
Great toe fracture or other higher-energy trauma may also damage the cartilage and cause great toe arthritis in the long run.
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Treating A Gout Attack
The methods of stopping an attack of gout can vary depending on the severity of pain. Your orthopedic physician may give you a shot of corticosteroids. They may also prescribe other types of medications that are specifically designed to treat gout. To ease the pain during a gout attack, rest the joint that hurts. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicine may also be prescribed to help reduce the pain. The good news is that following treatment, relief from the pain and discomfort of a gout attack often begins within 24 hours. It is important to still make an appointment with your orthopedic physician even if your pain from gout is gone. The buildup of uric acid that led to your gout attack can still harm your joints. An orthopedic physician will help you get relief from the pain of gout attacks and learn ways to prevent flare-ups in the future.
*The blog is for general information and educational purposes only regarding musculoskeletal conditions. The information provided does not constitute the practice of medicine or other healthcare professional services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor-patient relationship is formed. Readers with musculoskeletal conditions should seek the advice of their healthcare professionals without delay for any condition they have. The use of the information is at the readers own risk. The content is not intended to replace diagnosis, treatment or medical advice from your treating healthcare professional.
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What Is The Best Way To Treat Gout
For almost instant pain relief from gout, consider localised massage at the point of pain. You can get a qualified healthcare professional such as a massage therapist to treat you or even try giving yourself a foot massage.
Massage therapy is well known to increase blood circulation in and around the areas to which it is applied. If you have a damaged joint, then knots in the surrounding muscles can further irritate and increase the level of discomfort that you will feel during a gout attack. Using gentle massage strokes is an especially effective technique for relaxing those muscles and reducing any tension around tight spots.
In areas like fingers, which can also be affected by gout, massage techniques similar to those used for treating repetitive strain injury can help relax the body and mind and begin to ease suffering. The most popular treatments for treating gout are Physio-style massage, Shiatsu and Classic Swedish massage.
An extended course of massage treatments over a period of time can provide additional benefits beyond short term pain relief and relaxation. The increased rate of blood flow through the affected areas may help to shift some of the built up crystal deposits away from the damaged joints. Massage therapy is known to promote a healthier lifestyle attitude. Getting a massage once a week for example can convert you into a calmer person who cares more about living a healthier lifestyle.
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How To Treat Gout In The Big Toe: What You Must Know
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What Can Increase Your Risk
A high level of uric acid in the blood is the main factor that increases your risk of developing gout. However, it’s still uncertain why some people with a high level of uric acid in the blood develop gout, while others with an equally high level don’t.
Other factors that may increase your risk of developing gout are outlined below.
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Whats The Best Way To Take Lab
Your body doesnt typically excrete enough uric acid on its own to minimize the risk of a gout attack. Lab-grade Chanca Piedra is that extra added push for your body to be able to not only flush out uric acid in the kidney and liver, but to also inhibit the formation of uric acid crystals. Chanca Piedra has also been shown to help with inflammation.
To dissolve uric acid crystals or to prevent them from forming altogether:
Keep in mind that each individual is unique and will respond differently to each treatment type. Always discuss any new treatments that you are considering with your physician prior to starting them so he/she can review with you any potential medication interactions and potential side effect concerns.
Maintain A Healthy Weight
Your entire body weight falls on your feet while standing, which puts a lot of strain on your toe joints. The heavier you are, the more stress your joints will have to endure.
Under such conditions, even simple but regular activities such as walking can cause wear and tear in your joints, which can worsen over time. Maintaining a healthy weight is therefore very important to minimize joint degeneration.
The best way to stay fit and reach your weight goals involves a 2-part approach:
- Eating a nutritious, well-balanced diet
- Burning the extra calories through some form of physical activity done for about 30 minutes daily
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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.
Topical Cold Or Hot Application
Applying cold or hot water to inflamed joints may also be effective.
Studies and opinions on this are mixed. Soaking in cold water is most often recommended and considered most effective. Ice packs may also work.
Soaking in hot water is typically only recommended when inflammation isnt as intense.
Alternating hot and cold applications may also be helpful.
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Treatment For Gout In The Foot
âThe Big Toe And The Heel â Prime Targets For Goutâ
Does your toe swell with gout? Is your heel a pain with gouty arthritis? We offer independent expert advice on specific treatments for gout in the foot. No vagueness, just specific advice for exactly how to treat a painful foot with gout.
This is part of our series looking at specific treatments for gout in detail. Not just listing exercise, but which exercises for each part of your body affected by gout? Where so many big websites seek to offer generic advice that doesnt help at all, we seek to get to the heart of the issue.
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.
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