Gout attacks can wake you up at night.Urate crystals build up on your joints.Most of the time it happens in the big toe, but other joints can be affected.The most effective way to treat gout is using medications recommended by your doctor, but you can complement that with home treatments to manage the pain and lifestyle changes to reduce the chances of future attacks.
Step 1: Take care of the swollen joint.
Circulation and drainage will be increased by this.Put your foot on a pile of pillows and lie in bed.It may be too painful to have a sheet over it if it is very sore.
Step 2: Apply ice to soothe the joint.
Reducing inflammation and taking the edge off the pain will be helped by this.Give your skin time to warm up after applying ice for 20 minutes.The cold will not damage your skin.You can use frozen peas or corn if you don't have ice.Wrap the ice or frozen vegetables in a thin towel so they don't get on your skin.
Step 3: Don't use over-the-counter anti-Inflammatory drugs.
Inflammation and pain may be reduced by these drugs.Immediately after the attack, take them.Ibuprofen and naproxen are possible medications.The medications are not recommended for people with stomach ulcers or bleeding.Do not take aspirin.It can increase your uric acid levels.If you are on other drugs, make sure to talk to your doctor.
Step 4: Make changes to your diet to decrease your intake of purines.
Uric acid can build up in your joints when you digest purines.Reducing the amount of purines in your diet will lower your body's ability to process them.Don't eat red meat like steaks.Gamey meats like rabbit, pheasant, and venison should not be eaten.Don't eat organs like heart, kidneys, and sweetbreads.You should reduce your seafood intake.You should avoid oily fish such as mackerel, sprats, whitebait, herring, and trout.Purines have high levels of yeast and meat extracts.marmite, bovril, and many other commercially manufactured gravies are included.Your risk of gout attacks may be reduced by low-fat dairy products.
Step 5: Drink less.
Beer and spirits are high in purines.An occasional glass of wine may be beneficial.Gout attacks can be caused by binge drinking.
Step 6: Don't drink drinks that are sweetened with fructose.
Gout can be worsened by these drinks.Drinks with cherry extract are an exception, as long as they aren't artificially flavoured and packed with other sugars.Cherries and cherry extract can lower your uric acid levels.
Step 7: Drink a lot of water.
Your kidneys help you excrete uric acid through your urine.Depending on your activity levels and body size, the amount of water you need will vary.You should drink at least eight glasses a day.You should drink quickly once you are thirsty.Dark or cloudy urine is a sign that you may be dehydrated.
Step 8: It's a good idea to exercise regularly.
This will make you feel better.Aim for about 30 minutes of moderate exercise, like walking or running five days a week.Swimming is a great way to get exercise without putting stress on joints.
Step 9: If you are overweight, lose weight.
It is important to follow a sustainable diet.Crash diet that aim to make people lose a lot of weight quickly are often high in calories and low in vitamins.These diet are high in purines and may cause gout.
Step 10: Try vitamins C and D.
uric acid can be removed from your urine through the use of vitamins C and C.Before you add supplements, talk to your doctor to make sure it's right for you.While it may help prevent new attacks, it is not likely to be a cure.
Step 11: Coffee is a good beverage to drink.
Decaffeinated coffee may help reduce uric acid levels.Studies have not been able to identify how this might be happening.
Step 12: If this is your first attack, you should go to a doctor.
It is best to treat gout as soon as possible.Reducing your pain will be aided by this.Symptoms may include severe pain, inflammation, and redness in the affected joint for several hours and less serious pain lasting for days or weeks afterwards.Most of the time, the hand and foot joints are affected.Gout can be managed with lifestyle changes.If the joint is hot and you have a gout attack, you should see a doctor.The symptoms may indicate that you have an illness.
Step 13: Discuss the different gout treatments.
A treatment plan that is tailored to your needs and medical history is what your doctor will help you come up with.Your doctor can prescribe non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs.The doctor can describe something stronger if over-the-counter drugs were not effective.Colchicine.The drug decreases the inflammatory reaction of the joint lining.There are Corticosteroids.It is possible to give these medications as an injection into the joint for fast relief.It is not possible to take these corticosteroids long-term.If you have a history of gout, your doctor may prescribe a medication to reduce the amount of uric acid that your body excretes.
Step 14: When choosing a course of action, take into account your risk for future attacks.
Some people are more prone to gout than others.A diet with lots of meat, seafood, sweet drinks, and beer is one of the factors that raise someone's risk.Being overweight.Diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease are some of the conditions that can cause it.Taking anti-rejection drugs after a transplant.There is a family history of gout.Having undergone surgery.Men are more likely to have gout than women.