New Guidelines Suggest Doing More Of The Same The Problem Is That Many People Don’t
You never forget your first gout attack. The severe pain, swelling, and redness hits hard and fast. The initial attack often strikes your big toe’s large joint, but later ones might affect the foot or ankle. Other hot spots include the knees, hands, and wrists.
First-line treatment is quite effective and includes anti-inflammatory medications, ice therapy, and rest. A combination of diet and lifestyle changes and prescription drugs an approach called urate-lowering therapy, or ULT is typically recommended if attacks recur or become more severe.
To continue reading this article, you must log in.
- Research health conditions
- Prepare for a doctor’s visit or test
- Find the best treatments and procedures for you
- Explore options for better nutrition and exercise
Treatment For Gout In The Foot
‘The Big Toe And The Heel – Prime Targets For Gout’
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.
What Increases Your Chances For Gout
The following make it more likely that you will develop hyperuricemia, which causes gout:
- Being male
Read Also: Why Did I Suddenly Get Gout
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.
Why Are Your Feet So Vulnerable To Gout
Your feet and, more precisely, your big toes are the most common area to be affected if you suffer with gout. Just why your feet are so vulnerable is unclear.
Some parties claim this is down to temperature urate crystals forming faster in cooler temperatures and your toes being among the coolest areas because they are furthest from the heart.
However, the truth is more complicated than that as Roddy concluded in an article for the Journal Of Foot And Ankle Research, the reasons for gout appearing in the toe first are
multi-factorial in origin and arises from the unique combination of the susceptibility of the joint to OA and local anatomical considerations of temperature, minor physical trauma and biomechanical stress
In other words, there are a number of reasons why gout will often attack your toe first.
The same is also true however of your heel its distance from your heart and its propensity to suffer trauma or stress make it another prime target.
How gout forms
Just as a quick reminder, gout is formed when your body produces more uric acid than it can get rid of via your kidneys. This condition is often referred to as hyperuricemia.
Having a high level of uric acid doesnt necessarily mean that youll suffer with gout, because its only when urate crystals are formed from the uric acid that gout begins.
Get Answers Advice And Medicine
The pain from a gout attack usually gets better in 3 to 10 days. But youâll feel better faster if the gout is treated. If you think you might have it, contact your doctor. An exam and tests will show if itâs gout or something else, like an infection.
Talk with your doctor about the best medicines for you. The type will depend on how well your kidneys work, the possible side effects, and other health issues.
Homeopathic Remedies For Gout
Homeopathic remedies are trusted by 81% of people worldwide. It can provide instant relief in gout pain, without any harm to the body. Take a look at some of the homeopathic remedies for gout pain.
1. Aconite : Aconite can be taken in order to get instant relief, when gout attack approaches. It works well for gout of the feet joints.
2. Colchicum : Colchicum is a very common homeopathic remedy for treating gout. If the gout is causing too much pain in the joints and is accompanied with redness, this remedy can be taken for relief.
3. Ledum : Ledum is a very useful remedy for treating gout. This is the best homeopathic remedy for gout in the foot. If the patient feels coldness in the affected area, this medicine can be given.
4. Belladonna : Belladonna can provide relief from all the symptoms of gout, like swelling, pain, inflammation, red or purplish skin.
Other homeopathic remedies can also be taken to get instant relief, such as Bryonia, Rhododendron, Calcarea fluorica, Berberis vulgaris, Urtica urens, Sulphur, Lycopodium, and Rhus toxicodendron.
What Foods Should You Avoid
If youre susceptible to sudden gout attacks, avoid the main culprits high-purine foods.
These are foods that contain more than 200 mg of purines per 3.5 ounces .
You should also avoid high-fructose foods, as well as moderately-high-purine foods, which contain 150200 mg of purines per 3.5 ounces. These may trigger a gout attack.
Here are a few major high-purine foods, moderately-high-purine foods and high-fructose foods to avoid (6,
- meats: These include liver, kidneys, sweetbreads and brain
- meats: Examples include pheasant, veal and venison
- Fish: Herring, trout, mackerel, tuna, sardines, anchovies, haddock and more
- seafood: Scallops, crab, shrimp and roe
- Sugary beverages: Especially fruit juices and sugary sodas
- Added sugars: Honey, agave nectar and high-fructose corn syrup
- Yeasts: Nutritional yeast, brewers yeast and other yeast supplements
Additionally, refined carbs like white bread, cakes and cookies should be avoided. Although they are not high in purines or fructose, they are low in nutrients and may raise your uric acid levels (
Summary: If you have gout, you should avoid foods like organ meats, game meats, fish and seafood, sugary beverages, refined carbs, added sugars and yeast.
Take Your Prescription Drugs
If you’ve had a gout attack before, your physician may have prescribed drugs to treat attacks. This may be your first line of defense or you may decide to use them only when NSAIDs fail to relieve your pain.
Prescription medications to treat gout include:
- Prednisolone oral tablets, which has been shown to work as well as NSAIDs and often doesnt cause the same stomach upset. Prednisolone is a type of corticosteroid and does carry other potential side effects, particularly if it is taken for longer than the recommended 5 days.4
- Colchicine, which has been shown effective in reducing pain and inflammation if taken in the first 24 hours of an attack. Always follow your physicians instructions regarding dosing to decrease your risk for potential complications and side effects.
Opioid painkillers, such as codeine, hydrocodone, and oxycodone, are not recommended to treat the pain caused by gout.
See Pain Medications for Arthritis Pain Relief
Treatment For Gout In The Foot Prevention
Exercise
This is one point that I think most bland advice sites written by authors who pay a clinician to approve it get horribly wrong. Exercise is always listed as a cure-all without any recognition that certain exercises are better than others for different areas.
In the case of gout, you need to avoid trauma. Now trauma doesnt mean injury just constant impact causes tiny trauma that can attract gout. If you often suffer gout in your feet, then the last thing you want to do is go out running during your recovery.
Running is great for certain diseases/ activites, but not gout. Cycling is better if you enjoy cardio-based workouts, but swimming is best of all.
Reducing pressure
The lack of pressure/ weight on your feet, makes swimming a perfect treatment for gout in the foot.
Rowing also is not advisable due to the pressure on your feet. Likewise, push-ups cause real pressure on your toes unless you touch the floor with your knees rather than your toes .
Sit-ups however, are really good again, especially with your feet in the air. Just dont use a sit up bar or have someone holding your feet down. A standard abdominal crunch with your feet in the air however is a great exercise for feet that might suffer with gout.
Weight training is a bit of a mixed bag dead lifting may cause gout in your feet because your feet are taking the pressure, while a lot of new shoulder/ arm lifting machines involve sitting and so taking the pressure off your feet are fine.
Massage
But Aren’tgout And Gouty Arthritis Hereditary Conditions
I really love how the medical profession continues to blame gout on genetics . However, this flawed theory is nothing more than pure medical poppycock and has never actually been proven.
Their reasoning behind the theory is that more than one family member will usually suffer from gout, so of course, it must be genetic right? But this condition has now become so out of control and rampant amongst society, especially in the last 20 years that of course you can blame it on your family history.
Its very easy to do that when everyone is getting it!
But what about diet and lifestyle? And what about the persons weight or stress levels? These are the factors that really count rather than a persons family history.
Applying Ice To Affected Joints
Applying a cloth-covered ice pack to the joint can help reduce gout-related inflammation.
Try applying an ice pack wrapped in a thin towel for 1015 minutes at a time to help relieve pain.
If gout is affecting the feet, a person can also use a pack of frozen vegetables covered with a washcloth, as this may drape more easily over the feet.
Heightened stress can worsen a persons gout symptoms. While it is not always possible to eliminate all sources of stress, the following tips might help:
- exercising, such as taking a brief walk, if the pain does not limit movement
- asking for time off from work
- journaling or reading a favorite book
- listening to music
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!
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.
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.
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.
What Are Causes Of Gout
Uric acid is generated as we metabolize the food we eat and as the body’s tissues are broken down during normal cell turnover. Some people with gout generate too much uric acid and are medically referred to as “over-producers.” Other people with gout do not effectively eliminate their uric acid into the urine and are medically referred to as “under-excreters.”
The Pharmacological Mechanism Of Tongfengan Mixture In The Treatment Of Gout
Tongfengan Mixture, composed of Herba Lysimachiae, Semen Sinapis, Thallus Ulvae Fasciata, Spora Lygodii, Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae, Flos Carthami, Radix Paeoniae Rubra, Pseudobullbus Cremastrae, Rhizoma Alismatis and Rhizoma Corydalis, has the function of softening hardness and dissipating mass. It is found that in the rat models, Tongfengan Mixture can relieve the swelling, reduce the level of MSU crystals in the ankle joints, and reduce the inflammatory reaction, which may be achieved by reducing the inflammatory reaction in the blood . Liu et al. suggested that Tongfeng Mixture could inhibit the secretion of inflammatory factors like IL-1, TNF- and NF-B in the synovial tissue of the ankle joint of rats by clearing away urate crystals, and reducing the inflammation.
The Clinical Application Of Tcm Formula In Treating Acute Gout
Wuwei Xiaodu Decoction is an effective formula with the effect of clearing heat and detoxifying for treating patients with joint pain and obvious swelling. Yu et al. applied modified Wuwei Xiaodu Decoction combined with colchicine tablets to treat the gout arthritis of damp-heat type, and found that the effective rate was higher than that in the control group . Meanwhile, the combined application could effectively relieve acute joint pain, reduce swelling, relieve pain and improve joint function. Besides, the combined application of Guizhi Fuling Pill and Wuwei Xiaodu Decoction showed better effect than the combined application of meloxicam tablets and sodium bicarbonate tablets . They have found that the effective rate was 97.60% in the group treated with TCM formulas, which was higher than that in the group treated with chemical drugs, and in the group treated with TCM formulas the pain degree was significantly reduced, the swelling score, SUA and C-reactive protein levels were lower than those in the group treated with chemical drugs.
Southern Cross Medical Library
The purpose of the Southern Cross Medical Library is to provide information of a general nature to help you better understand certain medical conditions. Always seek specific medical advice for treatment appropriate to you. This information is not intended to relate specifically to insurance or healthcare services provided by Southern Cross. For more articles go to the Medical Library index page.
Remedies To Cure Gout And Gout Pain At Home
Gout is common these days and causes acute pain and swelling in our joints. It is a form of arthritis which is different from rheumatoid and osteoarthritis. Gout can be painful as it leads to tender, swollen, heated or reddened joints.
Caused by hyperuricemia or increased uric acid in the body it can affect several body parts like big toe, ears, wrists, knees, ankles or small joints of the hand. Some other causes of gout are lack of physical activity or exercise, excessive alcohol consumption, high protein intake, high-stress levels, and genetics.
Getting yourself thoroughly checked for underlying causes and getting a proper treatment is a must when suffering from gout since it can also be linked to more serious health conditions. Also, trying out these 12 home remedies until you pay a visit to the doctor can help ease out your symptoms and also lessen the excessive uric acid for sure.
1. Drink Loads of Water
Drinking water could help ease gout pain
Drinking lots of water really helps with gout pain and swelling. The more you will drink water the more will it flush away excess uric acid from the body. The decrease in uric acid from the body can provide you instant relief from gout associated symptoms.
2. Pluck Those Cherries
What Not To Eat
If you wish to keep your uric acid levels in check, it is essential that you minimize your intake of the following:
- Organ meats, which includes liver, kidney, and sweetbreads
- Red meat, particularly lamb and beef
- Certain vegetables, including mushrooms, asparagus, and cauliflower
- Seafood and shellfish, such as crabs, lobster, and sardines
- Foods with high sodium content, specifically sauces, and gravies
These dietary exclusions should be accompanied by proper dietary additions that include foods that are low in purines, such as cereals, vegetables, soya bean-based foods, and dairy products.