Monday, March 25, 2024

Is Heat Or Ice Better For Gout

Pain From Sciatica Can Range From Mild To Intense

What’s Better For Pain? Heat or Ice? – Dr Mandell

Dear Mayo Clinic:

Ive had sciatica on-and-off for weeks, but for the past few days it has been so bad that Im uncomfortable all of the time. It feels best when walking, but when I stop or sit down the pain is almost unbearable. My doctor says physical therapy is the only way to treat it. Are there no other options?

Answer:Sciatica refers to pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back to the buttock and down the back of each leg. The lower lumbosacral nerve roots make up the sciatic nerve which is the longest nerve in the body.

Although many people think of sciatica as a condition, it is actually a collection of symptoms. Most people with sciatica will experience pain more in their lower extremity than in their back. The pain will often extend below the knee and into the foot and, in many cases, it is accompanied by numbness or tingling. On occasion, patients will experience muscle weakness in the affected leg.

For some, sciatica pain may be just a mild ache for others, it can be quite intense. Some people experience a sharp burning sensation and may feel a jolt like an electric shock. Often, the pain intensifies when sitting for long periods. Some patients lose bladder or bowel control, a sign of cauda equina syndrome, which is rare but serious and requires immediate medical care. See your doctor immediately if your sciatica is accompanied by these symptoms.

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Managing A Gout Flare

Gout flares are unexpected and painful heres how to get a handle on them.

Few things in life are more painful than a gout flare, so if youre awakened in the wee hours by a joint that is tender, swollen, red and radiating heat, youll want to act fast. Heres what you can do when a gout flare starts to ease the pain and reduce the risk of others.

Take Medicine You Have on Hand. Start treatment immediately with over-the-counter ibuprofen or naproxen , but never take aspirin, which can worsen a flare. If you have had a flare before and your doctor has prescribed an anti-inflammatory medication to take in the event of another, take your prescribed medication as your doctor directed. If you are already taking a uric acid-lowering drug to reduce the risk of flares, continue to take that drug.

Ice Down. 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.

Let your doctor know what is going on right away. She may prescribe a new medication, or have you come to the office for a joint fluid test or an injection of a corticosteroid to start relieving inflammation quickly. Getting treatment within the first 24 hours of the start of a flare can lessen its length and severity.

Get a Cane. Walking with a cane during an acute gou flare can help keep pressure off your painful joint.

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Causes And Risk Factors

Gout occurs due to an excess buildup of uric acid, or hyperuricemia.

According to the National Institutes of Health , hyperuricemia is the main risk factor for developing gout. However, a quarter of those with hyperuricemia do not develop gout.

When the body breaks down purines, it produces uric acid. Typically, the kidneys remove a certain amount of uric acid in the urine. However, when they are unable to remove enough uric acid, uric acid crystals can form in the joints and soft tissues, causing swelling and pain.

Gout typically affects males more than females. However, females have higher levels of uric acid after menopause. NIAMS state that being older also the chance of developing gout.

Genetics can also increase the chance of developing gout.

According to the CDC , other factors that may increase the likelihood of gout include:

  • Diet: Food can play a role in the development of gout symptoms. Eating seafood, red meat, and drinking alcohol raises uric acid levels in the body.
  • Weight: Having overweight increases the chance of developing gout.
  • Medications: Certain medications, including diuretics and low-dose aspirin, are associated with gout risk because they increase the level of uric acid in the body.
  • Other medical conditions:High blood pressure, diabetes, and kidney disease can increase gout risk.

According to the National Health Service in the United Kingdom, some people with gout may develop complications, such as:

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Does A Heating Pad Help With Nerve Pain

The combination of hot and cold increases the circulation of fresh blood to the area, which may help relieve pain. Hold an ice pack over the affected area for about 15 minutes at a time, three times a day to help reduce inflammation. Heat pads can be applied for a longer period, up to 1 hour, three times a day.

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How To Treat Tendinitis

Pin on Health Lantern

Treatment should start by excluding tendon rupture , and systemic diseases like diabetes and so on.One may use over-the-counter pain-relieving drugs, but they are not necessary in most cases.

Drug therapy like the use of corticosteroids is reserved for only most severe cases.

Physical therapy is the primary way to treat tendinitis. It involves using exercises, stretching, massage therapy, rest, protection , and so on.

In acute tendon trauma, any non-pharmacological therapy must start with PRICE.

– Protection through temporary immobilization, use of splints, and other supportive devices.

– Rest so that the body has enough time to revive. It means avoiding extreme physical activities but not bed rest.

– Ice to reduce inflammation and pain.

– Compression to overcome swelling.

– Elevation particularly in the case of lower limbs trauma to reduce edema.

However, once the acute phase is over, physiotherapy with use of exercise is a better way to recover faster. Exercise helps to increase the range of motion, keep muscles and tendons warm, and improve local blood flow. Exercise can be combined with heat treatment for faster recovery.

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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.

> > > Gout Is Now Curable And This Is How I Cured Mine

Uric acid removal agents

Drugs can also help the kidneys to excrete uric acid from the body. On one hand, these medications can be effective at reducing blood uric acid levels. On the other hand, your urinary uric acid levels are increased, contributing to painful kidney stone formation. Other side effects include stomach pains and rashes.

Non-prescription options

As you can see from the above, medications are very likely to give side effects.

The other potential issue with medications is, what happens when you stop usage? Do your blood uric acid levels go back to where they were before? Does the crystallization process in the joints continue, leading once again to red swelling and pains?

Only you can answer these questions. And if you believe the answer is yes, then its worth looking into nature-based solutions stop uric acid accumulation in your body.

Nature Based Changes

In Okinawa, an island off the coast of Japan known for being the place with the longest life expectancy, gout is treated by tackling the source of imbalance in your body. After all, your body had previously been getting rid of uric acid effectively for decades, so all we need to do is to take it back to that state.

The Gout Eraser: The all-natural guide for permanent gout removal

This is the most concise guide on restoring the body to its natural well-functioning state, by restoring the process for removing crystalline buildup in the joints, and slowing down uric acid production.

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What Is The Fastest Way To Get Rid Of Gout

Medications for acute gout attack: These medications are usually prescribed to treat an acute attack of gout:

  • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs : These can quickly relieve the pain and swelling of an acute gout episode. They can shorten the attack, especially if taken in the first 24 hours.
  • Corticosteroids: These drugs can be taken by mouth or injected into an inflamed joint to quickly relieve the pain and swelling of an acute attack. Corticosteroids usually start working within 24 hours after they are taken.
  • Colchicine: An anti-inflammatory medicine that works best if taken within the first 24 hours of a gout attack.

Medications for reducing uric acid levels: These are usually prescribed after an acute attack ends to reduce uric acid levels in the body to prevent future attacks.

  • Colchicine: Regular and low doses of colchicine may be given along with other medications below to prevent flare-ups.
  • Allopurinol: It reduces uric acid production in the body.
  • : It reduces uric acid production in the body.
  • Probenecid: It acts on the kidneys to help eliminate uric acid.
  • Pegloticase: This is a medication that is injected every 2 weeks. It reduces uric acid quickly and used when other medications fail.

Lifestyle and home remedies to treat acute gout and can prevent recurrent attacks:

  • Limiting or avoiding alcohol consumption and drinks sweetened with fructose
  • Limiting intake of foods high in purines, such as red meat, organ meats, and seafood
  • Drinking plenty of fluids

What Else Should I Ask My Healthcare Provider About Gout

Is Ice or Heat Better to Remove Your Pain? — Dr Mandell

Consider asking your healthcare provider:

  • What is causing the gout?
  • Do I have any joint damage?
  • What can I do to prevent future attacks?
  • Can any gout medications help me?
  • How long will I need to take gout medications?

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Gout is a painful form of arthritis. Extra uric acid in your body creates sharp crystals in the joints, leading to swelling and extreme tenderness. Gout usually starts in the big toe but can affect other joints. Gout is a treatable condition, and the uric acid level can be decreased by medication and lifestyle changes. Talk to your healthcare provider about medications that can reduce uric acid levels. They can also discuss changes you can make to your diet and lifestyle to prevent and reduce gout attacks.

Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 11/15/2020.

References

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What Ice And Heat Are For

Ice is for fresh injuries, and heat is for stiff, aching muscles. Roughly. But the devil is in the details, and there are a lot of them.

Hasnt icing been myth-busted? Its been fashionable lately to debunk icing.1 The backlash against icing has some merit, and I love to see myths busted of course, but I think in this case its mostly a non-issue. The majority of icing is done for minor pain control, and theres really no problem with that.

Ice is for injuries calming down damaged superficial tissues that are inflamed, red, hot and swollen. The inflammatory process is a healthy, normal, natural process that also happens to be incredibly painful and more biologically stubborn than it needs to be. Icing is mostly just a mild, drugless way of dulling the pain of inflammation and taking swelling down a bit we hope.2 Examples: a freshly pulled muscle or a new case of IT band syndrome .

Heat is for muscles, chronic pain, and stress taking the edge off symptoms like muscle aching and stiffness, which have many unclear causes,3 but trigger points are probably one of the usual suspects.4 Chronic pain, especially back pain, often involves lots of tension, anxiety, hypervigilance, and sensitization, and comfortable heat can soothe a jangled mind and nervous system. Stress and fear are major factors in many painful problems, of course.

Whats The Treatment For Gout

Should you put heat or ice on gout. Treatments for an acute gout attack are anti-inflammatory drugs like naproxen or ibuprofen, which can provide pain relief. Patients with chronic gout can reap the benefits of changes in diet, exercise, and decreased intake of alcohol to help avoid future attacks. Additionally, chronic gout might also be treated with drugs such as allopurinol, colchicine, lesinurad, febuxostat, or probenecid.

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Is The Ice Barrel Right For Me

Thinking about the many advantages of the cold water therapy for our health in regards to enhancing our nervous system, body resistance and total energy levels, the cold water treatment is certainly a really efficient practice. If you want to garner the benefits of an ice bath in a practical method, the Ice Barrel is a ideal buy for you. It is easy to use and is suitable for numerous physique. Priced at around $1198 for the whole bundles, it is a long-term purchase and saves you from the trouble of buying ice every day or drive to the beach to jump in the cold water. You will take pleasure in the benefit with instant gratification when you immerse in the cold water after a long day or a exercise.

Discover How We Can Help You Find Relief From Painful Gout Attacks

Topic: Review Heat Or Ice For Gout Relief

Nearly 10 million Americans suffer from gout, a complex form of arthritis caused by an excessive amount of uric acid that often affects men between the ages of 30 and 50. Women may also be at risk of developing the condition after menopause.

  • The resulting attacks from gout sometimes cause sharp discomfort around the big toe or other parts of the foot
  • Gout attacks can be powerful enough to wake you from a sound sleep.

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Do Home Based Gout Remedies Actually Work

What do you think of when you hear someone talking about a home remedy theyve used to treat an illness?

Does it perk up your ears, or just make you suspicious and skeptical?

Remedies have been used by people for thousands of years with varying degrees of success. Some are based on folklore, while others continue the trend of following what works through trial and experimentation passed down the generational line.

Home Remedies For Gout

The feet and knees are fairgame for gout attacks.

The word gout may make you think of kings and medieval history. But gout isn’t a disease of the past. It’s very much with us today. That’s because gout is an inflammatory joint disease and a form of arthritis, not some mysterious illness of the rich and powerful.

Gout, which occurs in about five percent of people with arthritis, results from the buildup of uric acid in the blood. Uric acid is the result of the breakdown of waste substances, called purines, in the body. Usually it is dissolved in the blood, processed by the kidneys, and passed out of the body in the urine. But in some people there is an excess amount of uric acid, too much for the kidneys to eliminate quickly. When there is too much uric acid in the blood, it crystallizes and collects in the joint spaces, causing gout. Occasionally, these deposits become so large that they push against the skin in lumpy patches, called tophi, that can actually be seen.

A gout attack usually lasts five to ten days, and the most common area under siege is the big toe. In fact, 75 percent of people with gout will be affected in the big toe at some time. Gout in the big toe can become so painful that even a bedsheet draped over it will cause intolerable pain. Besides the big toe, gout may also develop in the ankles, heels, knees, wrists, fingers, and elbows.

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What Youll Want To Remember To Do

10) Get a cane

It can be tough to accept, but walking with a cane during an acute gout attack will keep pressure off your painful joints and make life a lot more pleasant. For styling with a cane, there are some pretty darn cool ones out there on the Internet. A few of our favorite canes can be found at https://www.fashionablecanes.com/ and https://thewalkingcanestore.com/

11) Wear Warm Clothes When its Cold

If you live in a cold climatic area, you are susceptible to gout. Keep yourself warm by donning thick clothes and socks. Avoid exposing your feet to the cold, as gout often affects the big toe. Also, ensure that you sleep in a room that is slightly warmer than room temperature.

12) Exercise, but in Moderation

There is no substitute for exercise, as being overweight can contribute to gout. Keeping your weight in check and getting enough exercise will help prevent the accumulation of uric acid in the joints. Bear in mind that too much exercise can lead to trouble by putting more stress on already inflamed joints. Hence, always exercise in moderation.

13) Elevate your foot, if affected

Raising your foot with pillows so its higher than your chest may help lessen swelling.

14) Tame your sheets

Even the weight of your bed sheets can be unbearable to an inflamed, gouty toe. Tuck the sheet in on the sides so its end falls at calf level, leaving your painful toe free of the covers.

15) Create gout-friendly socks

16) Chill out

What Is Tendonitis

Should you use heat or ice for joint pain?

Tendonitis or tendinitis are used interchangeably to describe the same condition that is inflammation or injury of tendons. These days medical specialists may prefer the term tendinopathy over these terms.

The most common cause of tendon injury is physical exertion or trauma.

Tendon injuries are present in 50% of cases of all sports injuries.

Tendinitis of upper and lower limbs is most common. Thus one may be diagnosed with Achilles tendon pain, tendonitis wrist, peroneal tendonitis, bicep tendonitis, tendonitis hand, shoulder tendonitis, tendonitis ankle, elbow tendonitis, and so on.

Some people are at higher risk of injuring tendons like older adults, those living with diabetes, gout, arthritis, thyroid disease, and other metabolic disorders.

Certain medications may also make tendons weaker and increase the risk of tendinitis.

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