How does ice therapy alleviate gout symptoms. What are the most effective treatments for gout flare-ups. Can dietary changes help manage gout. Why is professional podiatric care crucial for gout management.

Understanding Gout: Causes and Symptoms

Gout is a form of arthritis that affects millions of Americans, causing sudden and severe joint pain. It occurs when there’s an excess of uric acid in the body, leading to the formation of hard deposits in joints, particularly the big toe. However, gout can also affect other toe joints and even the knuckles of the hands.

What sets gout apart from other types of arthritis? Unlike general joint pain, gout typically manifests as intense pain in specific joints, often accompanied by redness and swelling. The big toe is the most common site for gout attacks, but it’s not the only one.

Key Symptoms of Gout:

• Sudden, severe joint pain
• Redness and inflammation
• Swelling in affected joints
• Limited range of motion

The Role of Ice in Gout Management

When it comes to managing gout flare-ups, ice therapy can be a game-changer. But how exactly does ice help with gout symptoms? Ice works primarily by reducing inflammation, which is often the main culprit behind gout pain.

Is ice an effective treatment for gout? Yes, applying ice to the affected area can significantly alleviate pain and swelling associated with gout attacks. It’s a simple, accessible, and often highly effective method for managing acute gout symptoms.

Proper Ice Application for Gout:

1. Use crushed ice in a bag, wrapped in a thin towel
2. Apply a frozen bag of vegetables
3. Soak the affected area in cold water
4. Limit ice application to 20 minutes at a time

Are there any precautions when using ice for gout? It’s important to note that individuals with nerve damage or diabetes should exercise caution when using ice therapy. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.

Medication Options for Gout Relief

While ice can provide significant relief, medication often plays a crucial role in managing gout symptoms. Over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen are commonly used to alleviate pain and reduce inflammation during gout flare-ups.

Which medications are most effective for gout? The choice of medication depends on the individual’s health profile and the severity of their gout. Board-certified podiatrists can recommend the most suitable options, which may include prescription-strength NSAIDs or other targeted treatments.

Common Medications for Gout:

• Over-the-counter NSAIDs (e.g., ibuprofen)
• Prescription-strength NSAIDs
• Colchicine
• Corticosteroids

The Importance of Rest in Gout Treatment

Rest is a critical component of gout management, particularly during acute flare-ups. When gout strikes, the affected joint becomes extremely sensitive, making movement painful and potentially exacerbating the condition.

How does rest contribute to gout recovery? Resting the affected joint reduces stress and pressure on the area, allowing the inflammation to subside more quickly. Additionally, elevating the joint can help alleviate swelling and promote faster healing.

Tips for Effective Rest During Gout Attacks:

• Avoid putting weight on the affected joint
• Elevate the affected limb when possible
• Use cushions or pillows for support
• Limit movement until pain subsides

Dietary Considerations for Gout Management

Diet plays a significant role in gout management and prevention. Certain foods and beverages can increase uric acid levels in the body, potentially triggering gout attacks or exacerbating existing symptoms.

What dietary changes can help manage gout? Focusing on a diet low in purines, which are compounds that break down into uric acid, can be beneficial. This typically involves reducing intake of certain meats, seafood, and alcohol while increasing consumption of water and other hydrating fluids.

Foods to Avoid or Limit with Gout:

• Organ meats and game meats
• Certain seafoods high in purines
• Alcohol, especially beer
• Sugary drinks and sodas
• Foods with added sugars or yeast

Beneficial Dietary Habits for Gout:

• Drinking plenty of water
• Consuming low-fat dairy products
• Eating fruits and vegetables
• Choosing complex carbohydrates over simple sugars

The Role of Professional Podiatric Care in Gout Management

While home remedies and lifestyle changes can be effective in managing gout symptoms, professional podiatric care is often crucial for comprehensive gout treatment and prevention.

Why is seeing a podiatrist important for gout management? Board-certified podiatrists can provide expert diagnosis, develop personalized treatment plans, and offer advanced therapies when necessary. They can also monitor the progression of the condition and adjust treatments accordingly.

Services Provided by Podiatrists for Gout:

• Comprehensive gout evaluations
• Customized treatment plans
• Prescription of stronger medications when needed
• Guidance on lifestyle modifications
• Monitoring of gout progression

Preventing Gout Flare-Ups: Long-Term Strategies

While managing acute gout attacks is important, developing long-term strategies to prevent flare-ups is equally crucial. Prevention often involves a combination of lifestyle changes, dietary modifications, and ongoing medical management.

How can one reduce the frequency of gout attacks? Maintaining a healthy weight, staying hydrated, limiting alcohol consumption, and avoiding trigger foods are all important steps. Regular check-ups with a podiatrist can also help identify and address potential issues before they lead to severe flare-ups.

Long-Term Gout Prevention Strategies:

• Maintain a healthy body weight
• Stay consistently hydrated
• Follow a gout-friendly diet
• Exercise regularly
• Take prescribed medications as directed
• Attend regular podiatric check-ups

By implementing these strategies and working closely with a board-certified podiatrist, individuals with gout can significantly improve their quality of life and reduce the frequency and severity of gout attacks.

Gout management is an ongoing process that requires patience, consistency, and professional guidance. With the right approach, including the judicious use of ice therapy, appropriate medications, rest, dietary modifications, and expert podiatric care, individuals with gout can effectively manage their symptoms and lead active, comfortable lives.

Board Certified Podiatrist Foot & Ankle Surgeon

Joint pain is typically blamed on arthritis, but if it occurs particularly in your big toe, it’s likely gout, a condition caused by too much uric acid in your body. With nowhere to go, the uric acid forms hard deposits in your joint that causes pain, redness, and swelling. Your big toe isn’t the only joint gout affects, but it is the most common. It can also occur in your other toe joints or in the knuckles on your hands.

When you’re one of the more than 8 million Americans who suffer from gout, you’re going to need a good podiatrist. And if you live in the Salt Lake City area, you have access to two of the leading, board-certified specialists, Dr. Dan Preece and Dr. Darren Groberg, who can evaluate the stage and severity of your gout and develop an individualized treatment plan just for you. 

Because gout tends to cause spontaneous attacks of pain when you’re least expecting it, it can be hard to predict it and plan your activities accordingly. While our team recommends a comprehensive, long-term treatment plan, there are times you simply need help getting through a painful gout flare-up. 

Our experts at Utah Musculoskeletal Specialists put together this list of tips that can ease your acute gout attacks.

Medication

At the first signs of a gout flare-up, many people find that a regular dose of an over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as ibuprofen can be very effective at stopping the pain, or at least decreasing it. 

When you meet with us about your gout, we complete a thorough examination, including your current and past health issues. We can recommend the right type of medication for you to keep on hand in case of sudden attack. 

Ice

The inflammation that comes along with gout is often the main culprit causing your pain. Instead of, or in addition to, the over-the-counter medication, good, old-fashioned ice can do wonders to reduce the swelling and pain.  

Whether you choose some crushed ice in a bag buffered by a thin towel, a frozen bag of peas, or a nice cold pool of water, dropping the temperature is often all it takes. 

Caution: Don’t leave ice on the area for more than 20 minutes, and don’t use this method if you have nerve damage or diabetes.

Rest

When you have a gout attack, especially if it’s in your toe, no one has to tell you to get off your feet; the pain will lead you to do that instinctively. But beyond the initial reaction to stop using the affected joint, whether in your hands or your feet, it’s important to stay off it as long as possible and give it some rest.

If you can, elevate the joint to alleviate some of the inflammation, as well. 

Next-level at-home tips

While ice, rest, and NSAIDs can help you endure a gout flare-up in the moment, there are more things you can do to give your gout a helping hand. 

• Drink an abundance of water
• Avoid alcohol and sweet drinks, especially soda
• Cut out foods with added sugars or yeast
• Avoid organ meats, game meats, and seafood

These steps can help you manage the amount of uric acid in your system.  

Although gout is known to cause an occasional mild fever, if you have an elevated temperature along with chills, it could be the sign of an infection, in which case you should call us immediately. 

If you have gout or think you might, coming to see us for the right treatment is critical. Dr. Preece and Dr. Groberg can prescribe stronger medications, if necessary, and help you decide on the best course of treatment to avoid further complications. Call us today or request an appointment online to get a handle on your gout symptoms. 

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The Link Between Obesity and Gout

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5 Ways to Ease a Gout Attack

Sep 2, 2016

If you have gout, you know what it’s like to suffer from a flare-up. Also known as gouty arthritis, a gout attack begins with a burning or itching feeling in your joints. The next sign is redness, swelling, or severe pain in the joint. This is caused by a buildup of uric acid around the joints, which forms uncomfortable uric crystals. This condition can be so painful that anything touching the joint—even a bedsheet—can cause severe pain.

If you are suffering from a gout attack or flare-up, you don’t need to agonize alone or in silence. There are a few things you can do to ease the pain and prevent future flare-ups.

Over-the-counter treatments.

Several over-the-counter treatments can help relieve the pain caused by a gout attack. These nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can lower uric acid levels and treat episodes of inflammation. Some good choices include Aleve, Motrin, and Advil, and, when taken in prescription doses, can be very effective.

Contact Carolina Arthritis for guidance and to learn more about this strategy for your gout attacks.

Change your diet.

Many dietary and lifestyle changes can assist in recovery. Foods high in purines can increase the uric acid in your blood and trigger a gout flare-up. Some of these foods include:

• Some seafood
• Organ meats like liver
• Fatty foods

Fructose-sweetened drinks and alcohol, especially beer, can have a similar effect. If you’re suffering from gout, limiting your intake of these foods is a great place to start. You should also make an effort to drink more water. Allowing yourself to become dehydrated can cause your uric acid levels to rise. Drinking more water will help keep things at a normal level.

[We know the foods to avoid, what about the ones that help manage? Click here for more information!]

Ice, elevate, and relax.

As long as the pain isn’t too extreme, a cold compression or ice pack applied gently to the area can help ease the inflammation. For the most effective treatment, ice the joint for 20 to 30 minutes several times a day and keep the affected area elevated. Another trigger for gout is stress.

While a gout flare-up can put you on edge, it’s crucial to keep calm and do your best to relax. Try watching a movie, reading a favorite book, or catching up with a friend to keep your mind off things.

Steroids treatments.

If you can’t take over-the-counter drugs or if they are not effective, you can try the steroid drug prednisone instead. Prednisone is usually given orally for two weeks, with less given each day to ween the patient off. If you’re hospitalized, it can also be given intravenously.

Make an appointment with Carolina Arthritis.

There are several different gout-specific medications, such as Colchicine, Allopurinol, and Probenecid, and it can be tricky to figure out which one is best for you. This is why we recommend making an appointment with Carolina Arthritis.

Carolina Arthritis’s team of specialized doctors can meet with you to discuss your specific situation and create a tailored treatment plan specific to you. Don’t wait for your next gout attack—contact us today and get the relief you need today.

How to cure gout on the legs [effective SWT method]

Gout is the deposition of uric acid salts in various tissues of the body, most often in the joints and cartilage. With gout of the legs, physiotherapy, especially the SWT method, significantly improves well-being.

“Gout <…> gave birth to hell itself,” wrote I.A. Krylov. Of course, the nature of the occurrence of this disease is different, but nevertheless it delivers a lot of “hellish” troubles to its carriers.

The disease is especially common among Caucasians and occurs in 50 men and 10 women out of a thousand. In order for gout not to lead to serious complications, it needs to be diagnosed and treated in time.

1. Causes and symptoms of gout

2.
How to treat gout in the legs

2.1. Prevention of gout on the legs

Causes and symptoms of gout

Gout belongs to the group of arthritis. Arthritis refers to any disease of the joints. The term “gout” is used when talking about the deposition of uric acid salts in various tissues of the body, most often in the joints and cartilage. What is causing this process?

Uric acid is a product of the breakdown of purines, special substances that are produced in our body, and also get to us with food. We get a large amount of purines when we eat fatty meat and fish (herring, sardine, cod), organ meats (sausages, sausages), fast food. And also when we drink alcohol (especially beer and grape wine), unnatural juices, sweet carbonated drinks, coffee. In this case, a huge amount of uric acid is synthesized in the body, and the kidneys cannot cope with its excretion. Another cause of gout is when the body produces a normal amount of this acid, but the kidneys are unable to remove it due to any pathologies.

Salts of uric acid (urates) are deposited in joints, especially small ones, gradually destroying them. Salt deposition is most susceptible to injured joints. The joint of the big toe (popularly called the “big bone on the leg”) becomes the object of the lesion due to the fact that we wear uncomfortable, narrow shoes. Gout can also lead to the formation of kidney stones, which in turn can lead to kidney failure, which in some cases can be fatal.

Symptoms of gout may include:

• acute joint pain (especially after heavy meals or large amounts of alcohol). Sometimes the sensations are so unbearable that it hurts even from the fact that a sheet lies on the arm or leg. The pain begins to torment at night, passes during the day, and then returns again. This may take several days or even months;
• redness and swelling of the joint;
• increased temperature in the joint area up to 39–40°C;
• fever;
• general weakness.

If the attacks are repeated again and again, then, for example, gout of the toe can go to other joints, making them painful and inactive.

Gout is considered a disease of the elderly, but due to the fact that a modern person consumes a lot of fats and alcohol, in particular beer, this leads to a “rejuvenation” of the pathology. The disease is chronic, that is, it cannot be completely cured. But in order to avoid serious consequences, one should resort to therapy that will stop or slow down the process of destruction of the joints.

How to treat gout in the legs

Since the Middle Ages, gout has been called the “disease of kings”, since it was the holiest persons who had the opportunity to indulge themselves in plentiful meals and were prone to gluttony. Therefore, first of all, to control gout, you need to reconsider the diet. You should reduce the consumption of meat and meat offal, refuse fatty foods, beans and fish caviar, beer, wine and, if possible, other alcoholic beverages. Patients with gout are usually prescribed dietary table number 6. It is recommended to drink at least 2 liters of fluid per day. Mineral waters such as Borjomi, Narzan, Essentuki will be useful.

In acute attacks of gout, it is recommended to apply ice to the inflamed area, make compresses with dimexide. The use of painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs that do not contain steroids is shown.

Please note!

American scientists have established the relationship between calcium and ascorbic acid deficiency in the body and the development of gout. Therefore, as a treatment and prevention of the disease, it is necessary, in agreement with the doctor, to take these substances.

Physiotherapy significantly improves the well-being of the leg with gout. One of the most advanced and high-tech treatments for gout is shock wave therapy. When exposed to the affected tissue by a shock wave of a certain frequency, the following occurs: microcrystals of salts and connective tissue seals are loosened, blood flow increases tenfold, which in turn leads to the absorption of salts and tissue restoration.

In particularly severe cases, surgical methods are used to remove deposits of uric acid in the joints. But, in order to avoid this, it is necessary to carry out the prevention of arthritic diseases, such as gout of the foot.

Prevention of gout on the legs

In order for the joints of your legs to retain mobility and performance until old age, you should pay attention to the following preventive measures:

• lead an active lifestyle, walk more, do exercises in the morning;
• give up bad habits;
• eat more grains, vegetables, fruits, boiled or steamed meats and fish;
• drink more plain water;
• for preventive purposes, take a blood test to determine the content of the most important vitamins and minerals. If necessary, supplement the diet with a mineral-vitamin complex.

If you still experience gout, do not rush to despair. The main thing – do not postpone the solution of the problem “for later”, contact the specialists. A reliable assistant in the fight against the disease will be the method of shock wave therapy (SWT) we have already noted. You will find some of the most affordable prices for procedures at the Health Plus Medical Center. Even the elderly can receive effective and affordable treatment here. Procedures at the Health Plus Medical Center are performed without anesthesia in a course of several sessions of 10-15 minutes each, the number of which depends on the severity and duration of the disease. Qualified specialists will help you maintain a healthy state of the body.

Signs and treatment of gout – INSTITUTE OF MOVEMENT

Syktyvkar,
Oktyabrsky pr., 164

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Gout is a systemic inflammatory disease characterized by impaired metabolic processes. As a result of pathology, uric acid crystals – urates – are deposited in the joints and kidneys. Over time, gouty nodules formed from urates lead to deformity of the joints. As a result, the functions of the joints are impaired. This significantly reduces the quality of life and can lead to serious complications. The disease has three phases: intermittent, premorbid and chronic.

Symptoms of gout

Most often, the disease is manifested by attacks of gouty arthritis, mainly on the big toe. Pain develops fairly quickly, attacks usually occur at night or early in the morning. They can be triggered by fatty foods or other external factors. Patients feel sharp, and sometimes unbearable, pain. It begins to subside after 3-10 days from the onset of the attack. Pain is usually accompanied by local swelling or edema, a local increase in body temperature, impaired mobility, and other characteristic symptoms.

Causes of gout

• Hereditary metabolic disorders, in which the amount of substances responsible for the processing of uric acid is reduced in the body;
• kidney disease that inhibits the release of uric acid;
• consumption of a large amount of food of protein origin;
• obesity, overeating, age-related changes in the body, alcoholism, transplantation of internal organs and many other predisposing factors
• diseases of the circulatory system, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and some other diseases.

Gout diagnostics

Gout is diagnosed by a rheumatologist. The doctor asks about existing symptoms, additionally clarifies complaints and collects a complete history. Then he examines and palpates the joints, conducts physical tests. To clarify the stage of the disease or to see its consequences, he directs to additional studies. The most common of these are radiography, ultrasound and computed tomography.

Treatment

First of all, it is necessary to remove the acute symptoms of the disease. In the acute period, medications are prescribed to reduce the level of uric acid and stop the acute inflammatory process. Recommendations for changing the diet are immediately given.

During the period of remission, diet therapy, the use of orthopedic agents aimed at unloading the joint, and physiotherapy are effective. In addition to general therapy, spa and physiotherapy treatment can be used, and in case of accumulation of intra-articular effusion, puncture evacuation can be used.

If a gout attack starts

The first thing to do is to stop the pain. It is necessary to ensure the rest of the injured limb. Cold should be applied to the lesion: a wet towel, a bottle of water, an ice pack. And take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs prescribed by your doctor.

Gout prevention

• Review your diet in favor of fruits, vegetables and cereals, avoid sausages, fats, smoked foods;
• pay attention to physical activity, do gymnastics and exercises;
• lead a healthy and active lifestyle, give up bad habits, in particular – from excessive alcohol consumption;
• treat diseases of the kidneys, cardiovascular system, other organs and systems of the body in time;
• consult a doctor at the first symptoms of the disease to avoid serious complications.

Relieve attacks of pain and inflammation

Determine the stage of the disease

Prevent the development of complications

Return the former mobility to the joints

Get advice

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