Gout: causes and treatment

High uric acid values are the main cause of gout , there is also the possibility that it is hereditary and has a higher incidence in men , people who drink alcohol and postmenopausal women. There are also diseases that increase the risk of having gout:

• Diabetes.
• Obesity.
• Some kind of anemia.
• Kidney diseases.
• Leukemias

Taking medications like aspirin, diuretics, and some vitamins like niacin can also raise uric acid and cause gout.

Uric acid is generated by the breakdown of purines, which are found in body tissues and in some foods. This substance dissolves in the blood and is eliminated through the urine, when this process is interrupted, uric acid accumulates due to a high intake of foods rich in purines or because the kidneys cannot eliminate it correctly.

The uric acid level will be determined through a urine test . It should be noted that not all people with high uric acid will have gout . The normal uric acid levels should be among the following:

• Women: 2.4 and 6.0 mg / dL
• Men: 3.4 and 7.0 mg / dL

Gout usually manifests itself from what is known as a gout attack, which usually occurs suddenly at night and causes severe pain in the big toe. Some of the symptoms of gout are:

• Joint redness
• Severe, throbbing pain.
• Heat and tenderness in the affected area.
• Swelling and stiffness
• Fever and chills
• Loss of movement
• Lumps under the skin or tophi , which develop after many years with the disease.

From the first gout attack, the person will not have symptoms again and the attacks could recur in the next 6 or 12 months. As we have seen previously, the first joint affected by gout is the big toe, however this can harm others such as:

• Ankles
• Knees.
• Elbows.
• Fingers.
• Dolls.
• Arch of the foot.
• Heels.

It will be necessary to take the treatment indicated by the doctor, from the beginning of the gout crisis. To treat gout , non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or naproxen will be used, always respecting the recommended dose. Costicosteroids, such as prednisone, are also an alternative either by mouth or by infiltrating the affected joint .

Gout pains should not last more than 12 hours, if you have taken the treatment, the rest of the time they end after 48 hours. The rheumatologist will tell you if you should take any daily medications, apart from those you use during gout attacks .

The disease as such cannot be prevented, but if the factors that trigger the symptoms can be stopped, some recommendations are:

• Exercise daily.
• Include foods to lower uric acid in your diet .
• Take vitamin C supplements.
• Lose weight.
• Avoid drinking alcohol, especially beer.
• Reduce the consumption of pastries and fatty meats.

In the same way, we recommend some home remedies for gout , which will help you eliminate uric acid from your body, as well as to treat the affected areas:

• Hops : its sedative capacities will help calm the pain caused by gout attacks. Dilute two drops of tincture of hops, which you will find at the herbalist, in a glass of water and place it on the sore joint.

• Onion : it will help you lower uric acid levels due to its diuretic effect. Boil a peeled and cut onion in a liter of water for five minutes. Let it rest and strain it. Take three cups a day and add honey if you wish.

• Horsetail : this plant will purify your body and stimulate the production of urine. Cook in a liter of water, a tablespoon of the dried plant for 30 minutes. Drink up to three cups a day.

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Gout: causes and treatment , we recommend that you enter our Bones, Joints and Muscles category .