How Do I Fix Gout?
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Have you ever heard someone reference Gout? Did you wonder what it was and how that person ended up with it? Well, I’m here to help explain what it is, how you get it and how it’s treated.
What is Gout?
Gout is inflammation of the joints due to excess uric acid in the body. It can be categorized as a form of arthritis. There is usually pain, tenderness, swelling and redness that occurs in any joint of the body, but most often occurs in the big toe. The photo below illustrates how gout can affect the foot and give an idea of just how painful it can be.
The worst part is, you never know when an attack will happen. You get a spontaneous attack of pain, even occurring as you sleep waking you up in the middle of the night. The pain can sometimes last for up to 2 weeks then resolve.
Causes of Gout
Some of the causes of gout are as follows:
- Obesity – We discuss heavily on the site about how having a healthy whole body. That includes your feet!
- Age – Occurs most often in people over 50
- Too Much Seafood or Meat – Certain foods contain Uric Acid.
- Family History
- Sex – Seen more commonly in men
- Certain Medications
- Some conditions like Heart or Kidney Disease
- Due to accumulation of uric acid crystals, called urate.
What is Uric Acid?
Our bodies break down a substance called purines, which dissolves in our blood, in our tissue or foods we eat. The kidneys allows the dissolved uric acid to pass through them, which is what the kidneys do. They expel waste in the form of urine, but in certain cases, if you have excessive amounts of uric acid and your kidneys do not function well, then you have the case for Gout.
Everything is connected in the body. Having a proper diet, drinking a lot of water, avoiding alcohol, can help prevent the build up of uric acid in the body. If you have gout already, it may help to see what triggers it for you.
How to Treat Gout?
As with any case that we state on here, always consult a physician for medical advice. Your Primary care physician or rheumatologist can help with medications if needed such as steroids or anti gout medications.
Since joints are swollen, you may be able to relieve some pain by applying an ice pack on the affected area and keep your leg elevated. Nutrition is always important to cut down on any disease. So, in this case avoiding the triggering foods like those listed above may help. Foods such as red meats, shellfish, sweet drinks, and alcoholic beverages can cause those flare ups.
While eating a healthy balanced diet with foods like water, coffee, whole grains, fruits and veggies can help deter some inflammation. There is more info about having a healthy lifestyle located here on our site.