Medications and Natural Treatment for Gout
Gout is one of the worst forms of arthritis causing immense pain in sufferers of the condition that comes in episodes and usually starts in the big toe and joints of the feet. Gout is caused by high levels of uric acid in the body which converts into crystals that then settle into the joints connective tissue causing pain and mobility issues.
The most popular medications for treating gout are NSAID’s, Colchicine and Corticosteroids. These are generally for acute gout attacks. They are generally started very early so the swelling, inflammation and pain can be reduced before it is severe and crippling
Consulting a physical therapist is another means of treatment that many find to be quite beneficial. A physical therapist can make a routine that best suits your needs based on your age, weight, body type and physical limitations. These treatments will help to loosen inflamed areas and lessen discomfort in order to give you a broader range of movement. This exercise routine will, also, make you healthier overall.
Corticosteroids are also used in some gout treatments. They quickly relief the pain and they can usually be injected directly into the affected joint. However, they are used only in extreme cases, due to their multiple side effects.
Drinking water is a must when you have gout, and drinking alcohol is a must not. Avoiding alcohol completely is one of the alternative gout treatment ideas that really bring results. It’s actually not uncommon for someone who has indulged in cocktails often to develop gout.
Massage Oils of peppermint, lavender, camomile and geranium may be massaged into the affected area. Ruta graveolens cream may also be used. Self-mobilize the toe by gently pulling it and moving it around.
Watch what you eat. You should avoid eating foods that are high in purines and you should also stay away from processed foods.
Another method is to soak the joint in warm water with Epsom salt. This can be purchased at almost any store for a few dollars. You will find instructions for usage on the package for many other aliments. For gout you should put about 3 tbsp of Epsom salt in a basin of warm water and soak for half an hour.
By anti-inflammatory diet, it means natural treatment for gout where you will have to avoid foods that are rich in purines like sardines, anchovies and organ meats. You might have to eliminate coffee and alcohol consumption as well especially black coffee and beer. Alcohol causes dehydration and it annoys the normalcy of your urinary tract. Drink eight glasses of water or more every day to expel out toxins and uric acids off your system. In this case, you bid goodbye to urate crystal accumulation in your body joints.
Probenecid – sold as Probalan or Benemid, this is usually prescribed for gouty arthritis and chronic gout. It is also helpful in preventing gout attacks rather than treating actually occurrences. The medicine helps the kidneys eliminate more uric acid out of the body.
Another key element to effective gout treatment is maintaining proper hydration. Proper hydration helps flush excess uric acid out of your system. It also helps lessen joint inflammation, a side effect of dehydration. Most people think proper hydration is drinking enough water. While this is true, there is more than one way to get your water intake without having to drink 8-10 glasses of water a day. One example is eating a piece of watermelon
Fiber is also a great choice. You should eat plenty of water soluble fiber foods that aid in flushing the uric acid. You can do this by eating at least 5-6 fruits or vegetables a day.
Scott Gillespie
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/medications-and-natural-treatment-for-gout-716155.html
I need gout remedies, foods to avoid with gout, treatment for gout without drugs or doctor, and gout causes?
I have had gout for almost 3 years and gave up drinking because of it. And I have not had a gout attack in almost 3 years, until yesterday. Now I’m scratching my head wondering what has caused my gout to comeback. I didn’t drink any alcohol. I’m looking for gout home remedies because I used to take the drug indomethacin for my gout relief, but that medication is so hard on the liver that I would rather look for a natural remedy. Any info is much appreciated.
i stole these answers from these websites. maybe they can help you out though!
reasons:
Hyperuricemia (high uric acid levels) is the primary risk factor for gout. Staying with a treatment plan may help keep your gout under control. The higher the level of uric acid in your blood, the more likely you are to have a painful flare.
Maintain a healthy and well-balanced diet. Avoid alcohol, especially beer. Try to avoid foods that are high in purines, like certain types of meat, seafood, and even vegetables. Find out which specific foods are high in purines.
Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy body weight. Lose weight if you are overweight, but do not go on quick-loss diets because they can actually increase uric acid levels in the blood.
Take the medicines your health care provider has prescribed. Carefully follow instructions about how much medicine to take and when to take it.
Tell your health care provider about any other medicines and vitamins you take, including natural or herbal supplements. He or she will know if any of them could be increasing your risk of gout attacks.
Keep all your follow-up appointments with your health care provider and ask about monitoring your progress through measuring your levels of uric acid.
Talk with your health care provider about other ways to help manage gout.
What Causes Attacks?
Although a gout flare may occur for no apparent reason, there are a few known causes, or triggers. These include:
Stress or stressful events
Joint injury
Drinking too much alcohol
Eating too much of certain foods
Infection or another illness
Surgery
Crash diets
Rapid lowering of uric acid levels with uric acid–lowering medicines
Certain medicines known to raise serum uric acid levels
Some cancer treatments
References :
http://www.gout.com/cope_attacks/tips_dealing_pain.aspx
http://www.gout.com/cope_attacks/prevent_attacks.aspx
http://www.gout.com/cope_attacks/causes_attacks.aspx
Hyperglycemia, gout, urethritis, and gouty arthritis are some of the names it goes by. Gout can be activated by numerous factors, but there is always one primary cause that triggers it.
The drug you were taking (indomethacin is the generic for Indocin and Indocin-SR) is a very powerful non steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) and has some serious side effects – abdominal or stomach cramps, pain, or discomfort, diarrhea, dizziness, headaches, heartburn, indigestion, nausea, or vomiting.
Indomethacine can mess up your liver (I used to take it also) and should be immediately stopped if you have any of the following symptoms: bloody or black, tarry stools, brown urine, vomiting of blood or material that looks like coffee grounds, yada, yada… (the list goes on and it’s kinda scary). This medication only treats the symptoms of gout, not the underlying cause. That is why your gout attacks will most likely keep coming back – unless you change a few simple things that you put in your body.
You said that you stopped drinking. That’s good because booze causes elevated levels of uric acid (uric acid and the incomplete breakdown of it in the body causes uric acid crystals to form in your joints – most commonly in the joints of the big toe. This is gout). But you don’t have to be a heavy drinker to get gout.
Lots of very common everyday foods can cause your gout to flare up. The reason is because they contain high levels of something called purines. Purines can cause high levels of uric acid also. Here is just a short list of foods with high purine content:
Beef liver
Chicken liver
Baker’s yeast
Mushrooms
Sardines
Shrimp
Bacon
Turkey
Asparagus
Spinach
I remember when I used to get my gout attacks, they would always come after I ate seafood – sardines and shrimp (love em) in particular. So now I just watch my intake of certain foods and have not had any problems in the past year.
Here are some other things that can trigger a gout attack that most people don’t know about: aspirin, a drop in barometric pressure, stress, use of antibiotics, deficiency of vitamins B5, A and E, diuretics, surgery, fasting, dehydration…
Kinda weird huh? I used to pop aspirin like they were candy, guess what – I was getting gout every month.
How ’bout some home remedies for gout:
Eat foods high in potassium
Lots of fruits and veggies (except the ones high in purines)
Lemon juice
Cherries
Take 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda with meals (has to do with the ph of your body)
High fiber foods
Fish oil (most fish has high purines – but fish oil doesn’t)
Celery seeds (dosage is 500 mg – not for pregnant ladies)
There is more but I’m running out of time. Gotta go pick up the kids. BTW, I saw your question listed in Google so I decided to come answer it. Hope I have been of some assistance to you.
If you want a comprehensive guide for Gout, treatment of gout, causes, and natural remedies then go get this good ebook – it has helped me tremendously:
http://cli.gs/get-out-gout
References :
Long time gout sufferer and now gout free.
Fellow gout sufferer here. There’s a ton of people that get gout and just are not sure what to do. So here’s my information that I’ve learned in 11 years of fighting gout, and I seem to be getting it under control.
Best website I’ve found so far: http://www.best-gout-remedies.com.
When a person gets gout, you need to help your body do two things: not produce extra uric acid, and do an excellent job of getting rid of uric acid.
For gout attacks, indomethacine and/ or colchicine. You’ll need scripts from your dr. for these.
For the rest of your life, do these things: drink lots of water, 1 oz for every 2 lbs of body weight, each day. Once or twice a day, sip on 8 oz of water mixed with 1/2 tsp of baking soda. Helps the body be more alkaline (opposite of acidic) and get rid of uric acid.
Take allopurinol every day. Very inexpensive and no side effects, you’ll need a script for this. Helps the body get rid of uric acid.
Take celery seed pills. These may help the liver not to create so much uric acid. For diet, stay away from things that dehydrate the body, like beer and coffee. Don’t eat organ meats, high fructose corn syrup. Avoid beer; red wine occasionally is ok. Eat lots of fruits and veggies, cottage cheese, sour cream, plain yogurt in smoothies mixed with orange juice and fruit. Drink fruit juices that are 100% juice, V8 VFusion is my favorite, it comes in many flavors.
Look into probiotics. A person really should take these after any antibiotics from a doctor. The probiotics help the immune system in the intestines.
Educate yourself on foods that are high in purines, avoid these foods as the body turns purines into uric acid.
Good luck to you!
References :