Suffering from gout? Get relief with these methods
Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis that develops because of excessive uric acid content in the blood. This uric acid forms crystals in the blood that can get lodged in the joints and cause sudden episodes of severe pain, redness, warmth, swelling, and tenderness.
However, there are ways by which you get get the required relief. Read on to know how.
Ways to get instant gout relief
Homeopathic medication
Homeopathic medication can help you provide instant gout relief without causing any harm to the body. Some of these homeopathic medications are:
- Aconite: This helps in giving you instant gout relief when it approaches.
Home remedies for instant gout relief
There are also some home remedies that you can try to reduce your symptoms of gout. Some of them are listed down below:
- Elm leaf tea: Elm leaf tea is very effective for this condition and helps get instant gout relief when applied on the affected area.
About 4% of the people in America get affected with this condition and suffer from pain and discomfort. But with these ways, you can make the symptoms more manageable. Make sure to consult with your doctor before you take any of the medicines mentioned above.
How to manage your gout pain
- Over-the-counter medication
Sometimes the gout pain can wake you up in the middle of the night, and an OTC drug is the best way to get some relief. A simple over-the-counter pain reliever like ibuprofen can help reduce your pain. Aspirin, however, can worsen your condition and is not recommended. - Ice
Ice can help reduce swelling and also ease your pain. Use an ice pack of crushed ice or frozen peas wrapped in a cloth for about 20-30 minutes at a stretch for several times in a day to get relief from gout pain. - Fluids
Make sure to keep yourself well hydrated all the time to flush out the extra uric acid in your blood. This will reduce your gout symptoms and also avoid kidney stones. Try to aim for about 8 to 16 cups of fluid in a day, at least half of which is water. - Avoid alcohol
Alcohol is well known to dehydrate the body, increasing your chances of gout pain. Beer especially contains high levels of purines which can increase the level of uric acid in your blood. Alcohol also inhibits the proper excretion of uric acid from your body. - Remove clothing
The areas that are affected with gout can give your severe pain and can get aggravated even with the minimal weight of your clothing. Leave the areas affected with gout on your body unclothed, so the pain remains as low as possible. - Raise your limbs
If you have gout in your feet, then you can get some relief if you keep your feet on an elevated level. This can also help reduce the swelling. - Relax
The amount of uric acid in your blood may increase due to high levels of stress. Try to relax and keep worrying thoughts out of your mind to help reduce your symptoms of gout. - Keep a check on your diet
If you’re a lover of meat, then you would have to give up on it for a few days. Symptoms of gout can get aggravated with animal proteins. Try a vegetarian diet for a few days or meet up with your doctor to advise you on what you should and shouldn’t eat. - Steroids
If you’re someone who can’t take NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs), then try consulting your doctor for a steroid based drug. Prednisone is a popular steroid drug to help reduce gout symptoms and pain. - Gout specific medications
There are some specific medications that help reduce the symptoms of a gout attack. Colchicine is an effective drug that helps cure an acute gout attack. It blocks the uric acid crystals that get lodged in your joints but are usually only effective when taken within 12 to 24 hours of a gout attack. Allopurinol is recommended for people who are attacked by gout several times. It reduces the development of uric acid in your body. Probenecid is another medication that reduces gout by helping your kidneys in flushing out the uric acid from your body.
So, keep in mind the aforementioned points and get instant gout relief!