Gout can be an unpredictable and debilitating condition in which your joints become swollen and painful. It can be caused by diet and lifestyle choices, or just plain bad luck.
We’re going to take a look at some treatment methods for Gout, and some advice to keep the attacks at bay.
6 Essential Tips for Treating Gout
Uloric
Gout occurs when the body produces excess urate, or can’t get rid of urate fast enough, which means whatever is leftover forms solid crystals around the joints, which causes inflammation. Uloric is an FDA-approved medication that blocks the body’s production of urate, so it cuts off the problem at the root. The only problem is the Uloric side effects, which are quite common and can be serious. You should always do your research and know the risks of any medication before you take it.
Elevation and Rest
If you have an attack of Gout, a simple solution is to rest and elevate the joint. Gout commonly hits your knees and feet, so getting yourself a good leg rest can allow you to sit back and help yourself out. A leg rest will allow easier circulation to the affected joints, which encourages the excess fluid to move away and disperse.
Keep It Cool
Everybody knows that ice helps with swelling, and that’s no different with Gout. Applying an ice pack could be tender on the inflamed joint, so you should use a comfy ice pack to make the process more bearable.
Stay Hydrated
Gout occurs when there’s too much urate in your system, and urate normally leaves your body through urine. So, it stands to reason that if you drink more, you pee more, and you get rid of more urate.
That’s why you should drink enough to feel the need to pee every couple of hours, that way you’re sure that you’re getting rid of as much urate as you can. The recommended amount of water per day for an average adult is somewhere between 11 and 15 cups. That’s a good place to start.
Watch Your Diet
Changing up your diet might not cure your Gout instantly, but over time the effects could help. You need to avoid eating food that’s high in purines, which includes red meat, seafood, and even alcohol. You don’t have to cut those out altogether, but getting a good grasp on your nutrition and learning how to balance what’s in your body will definitely ease your attacks.
Go Natural
There are many natural remedies for Gout which a lot of people swear by. Tart fruits are a common home remedy after surveys indicated that regularly eating cherries improves people’s flare-ups. A study in 2012 indicated that there could be some real science behind this phenomenon, but at the moment more research is needed.
Ginger is another home remedy that has long been used as an anti-inflammatory. Applying fresh ginger through a washcloth to the inflamed skin has been shown to reduce acidity levels in the joint.
