How to Treat Gout at Home
The term gout refers to clinical manifestations caused by the deposition of monosodium urate crystals especially in joint cavities, but also in certain other tissues. The onset of gout is related to the degree and duration of hyperuricemia, which is the medical name given to having excessive levels of uric acid in the blood. So in this OneHowTo article we give you some recommendations on how to treat gout to accompany medical treatment.
Gout or gout attacks occur when the accumulation of urate crystals causes inflammation and swelling of joints due to high levels of uric acid in the blood. The body parts that are most commonly affected are: the big toe (one or both), knees, ankles, elbows, etc.
In addition to the typical symptoms, some other things you may be suffering from if you have gout are:
- redness of the affected joint
- heat around the joint area
- shiny and taut skin
- joint deformities
You can learn more about this information in our article, what are the symptoms of gout.
When treating gout it is important to figure out how the problem began in order to solve it. Therefore, it is necessary to know the common causes of gout, among which are:
- Consuming too many foods with purines
- Being Overweight
- Abusing alcohol
- Having transplanted organs
- Continuous diuretic treatment
In addition to the causes and avoidable risk factors, there are others that are not avoidable, such as the fact that men are more prone to gout, or having a family history of gout, since the hereditary factor also increases the possibility.
So people experiencing gout attacks should pay special attention to their diets, since most purines in the body, the natural chemical that causes rising uric acid levels, come through food. That is why these people should avoid all foods that increase uric acid, which include: red meats, sausages, organ meats, seafood, legumes, etc.
It is important for you to know what to eat if you have gout and to drink lots of water to facilitate the elimination of toxins through urine. You should avoid alcoholic drinks and quit smoking.
Although these foods increase uric acid and affect people with gout, remember that there are others that are beneficial for reducing levels of uric acid that will help to improve this condition. These include diuretics, such as artichokes which facilitate the removal of fluids; however, we recommend you consult all the following articles:
There is a popular myth that eating tomatoes is bad for gout or uric acid; however, no medical studies prove this and that is why we at OneHowTo have made this response to the question: Are tomatoes bad for gout?
To relieve painful gout attacks, you might use some natural remedies which may lessen the discomfort. For example, drinking a glass of water with half a teaspoon of baking soda stirred in can help dissolve the urate crystals that form in the joints and help reduce pain.
Also, there are some herbal teas that may help treat your gout. One good example is horsetail, although there are many others that you can also read about in this article: home remedies to relieve the pain of gout.
This article is merely informative, oneHOWTO does not have the authority to prescribe any medical treatments or create a diagnosis. We invite you to visit your doctor if you have any type of condition or pain.
If you want to read similar articles to How to Treat Gout at Home, we recommend you visit our Diseases & secondary effects category.