Any joint disease is a serious pathology that requires timely treatment. After all, such diseases cause pain to the patient, disrupt the motor activity of the affected joint and make the patient incapacitated for a long time.
One of the most severe joint pathologies is gout. This disease has a number of characteristic symptoms and requires timely treatment. An advanced form of gout usually leads to disability, so at the first symptoms of the disease you should immediately consult a doctor and get tested.
It is important to know that gout is a disease during which, for some reason, uric acid salts accumulate in the joints and kidneys. This pathology is called the disease of kings, as it occurs with heavy consumption of alcohol and meat. And such products in the past were available only to the rich. The peasants ate mainly vegetables.
True gout occurs very rarely; approximately 4 people out of 1000 suffer from it; in other cases, problems with the joint are associated with another cause. Most often, the disease is detected in mature men, up to about 45 years of age, less often in women during menopause and after it.
At a young age from 25 to 30 years, the disease rarely develops, mainly in men who lead a wild lifestyle. It is worth noting that in recent years the incidence of gout at the age of 30 has increased significantly, and in ancient times only mature and elderly people suffered from the pathology.
A distinctive feature of gout is that the disease affects all joints of the body. First, small joints on the hands and feet are affected, then the disease spreads and affects all large ones, for example, the knees and hips.
What gout is is now clear, and the cause of the pathology is a metabolic disorder in which the level of uric acid increases and remains at this level for a long time. Uric acid salts (urate crystals) begin to settle on the joints and gradually destroy them, causing the patient severe pain.
Disturbances in the body can occur due to hormonal imbalance or hereditary predisposition, but the impetus for the disease is given by an incorrect lifestyle. So people prone to gout who lead a healthy lifestyle will most likely never get sick.
Excess weight, alcoholism, and uncontrolled use of diuretics contribute to the development of the disease. Often the trigger for the onset of attacks is an injury, the joint is damaged, and at the site of the injury, urate crystals begin to be deposited in larger quantities, this leads to the rapid destruction of cartilage tissue.
Eating meat in very large quantities, especially fatty meat, causes gout. Red meat provokes an increase in uric acid in the blood; normally, the level decreases over time, but this does not happen with constant overeating.
This does not mean that you need to completely give up eating meat products. Animal proteins and fats are needed by the human body to function normally. The most important thing is that there should be moderation in everything; you should not overuse your favorite foods.
Gout is a disease whose symptoms do not appear for a long time. For many years, the level of uric acid in the body may be elevated, and urate is deposited in the joints. The disease occurs suddenly. This condition is called a gout attack. Signs of an attack:
As a rule, an attack of gout occurs abruptly and also passes abruptly; it usually lasts from 3 to 10 days.
Only a doctor can identify signs of gout and prescribe treatment, and solely on the basis of tests that can reveal elevated levels of uric acid and the presence of urate crystals in the joints. It is impossible to make a diagnosis on your own, since gout can be similar to an exacerbation of arthritis, arthrosis and other inflammatory and degenerative joint disorders.
To confirm the diagnosis, the following studies and tests are prescribed:
It is important to note that elevated uric acid levels do not always indicate the presence of gout. Therefore, doctors are not always in a hurry to make such a rare diagnosis and prescribe appropriate treatment. Treatment is often prescribed for other joint pathologies, but gout progresses.
Therefore, every patient with joint pain should become familiar with the symptoms of gout, and if there is a suspicion that it is gout, and the attending physician does not agree, it is best to consult other doctors and be examined again. It is worth understanding that doctors are people too, and they can make mistakes, and a person’s health is primarily in his hands.
Gout is considered an incurable disease, since it is very difficult to identify it in the early stages, and if gout attacks occur, the joints are already destroyed. It is worth noting that even during the period between attacks, the deposition of salts and the destruction of cartilage continues, so it is not recommended to delay going to the doctor.
Treatment of gout usually begins with pain relief, since patients go to the doctor during an attack, without anything bothering them before. If there is severe pain in the joint, then the first thing you need to do is call an ambulance, which will send the patient to the hospital where he will be treated, otherwise he will have to suffer from severe pain for a week.
You can alleviate the condition in the following ways:
Obviously, the hospital will help you get rid of the pain faster and prescribe treatment so as not to provoke a new relapse. Self-medication will not bring quick relief, and the risk of relapse will increase several times, so if you have joint pain, you should immediately go to the hospital.
If during a gout attack, doctors first prescribe medications to relieve pain and swelling, then subsequent treatment consists of normalizing metabolism. The patient is prescribed a diet, medications to reduce uric acid levels, and agents to restore cartilage tissue.
Any medications must be prescribed and selected by a doctor; this is very important, since potent drugs are used in the treatment of gout. Uncontrolled use of such drugs can cause disruption of the liver, kidneys, heart and gastrointestinal tract and significantly shorten the patient’s life.
The following medications are prescribed to treat gout:
As a rule, drug treatment will not completely stop the process of joint destruction, but by constantly monitoring uric acid levels, damage to other joints and the occurrence of new attacks can be avoided. Therefore, it is necessary to undergo treatment for a long time, and the sooner therapy begins, the better the prognosis for the patient.
During the period of remission, the patient must lead an active lifestyle, eat right, engage in physical therapy and take medications as prescribed by the doctor. The main mistake of patients is their refusal of treatment as soon as the attacks pass, because of this fatal complications arise.
You cannot self-medicate for gout; this will certainly lead to complications. But in complex treatment, folk remedies can be very effective; the main thing is to take proven recipes and apply them according to all the rules and after consulting a doctor.
It is important to note that before using any product you need to make sure that there is no intolerance to its components. Lotions and ointments can be used only if there is no violation of the integrity of the skin at the site of exposure. It is also not recommended to mix folk remedies with pharmaceutical ointments; this can lead to an allergic reaction or chemical burn.
The following folk remedies are effective for gout:
Gout treatment cannot be effective if a person does not follow a diet. Nutrition should be correct, low-fat, balanced, tasty and healthy. It is necessary to eat often and in small portions, which is especially important for patients with large weight due to overeating. Eating small portions will help reduce the volume of the stomach, as a result of which a person will eat less and lose weight.
The following foods are prohibited for gout:
You are allowed to eat vegetables and fruits, cereals and dairy products, berries, and walnuts. The amount of meat and fish should be greatly limited; you can consume 150 grams 3 times a week during the period of remission. You need to cook yourself from natural and fresh products; it is better to avoid frying food in oil and fat, and steam, boil and bake food in foil.
If you have gout, it is important to drink a normal amount of water. Alkaline water is very useful, as it allows you to quickly remove purines from the body. Essentuki No. 4 and No. 17, Narzan and Borjomi are recommended for consumption. It is very important to buy water from trusted stores, and you should not buy suspiciously cheap water; counterfeit water will be of no use.
Gout can be cured completely only if it is detected at the initial stage, when the joints have not yet begun to actively deteriorate. But this happens extremely rarely, since nothing bothers the patient, and the increased acid level is not a 100% gout attack.
If the patient consulted a doctor at the first attack, began to receive responsible treatment and changed his lifestyle, then they speak of a favorable prognosis. In this case, attacks do not occur, the joints stop rapidly deteriorating, and the patient can live a normal life.
If a patient has been self-medicating for a long time and consults a doctor at an advanced stage, then returning to normal life is usually out of the question, since deposits over time affect not only the joint, but also the kidneys and other internal organs, and cause serious complications:
All these diagnoses are very serious, they occur in 80% of cases, sometimes separately, sometimes together, several diagnoses at once. Any disease from the list shortens the years of a person’s life, and if left untreated, leads to rapid death. Complications can only be prevented by a person’s responsible attitude towards their health and compliance with all doctor’s recommendations.
In the modern world, when joint diseases have spread among young people, special attention needs to be paid to the quality prevention of gout and other pathologies. In general, prevention of joint diseases consists of a healthy lifestyle.
To avoid getting gout, you need to follow these recommendations:
The occurrence of the disease is closely related to the amount of uric acid, which occurs as a result of the body processing certain foods rich in purines.
Normally, uric acid is excreted by the kidneys in the urine. However, in patients with gout , either too much uric acid is produced or it is poorly excreted by the kidneys, resulting in excess accumulation in the body. When there is too much uric acid in the body, it begins to deposit in the joints in the form of tiny crystals, which leads to inflammation and pain. It should be kept in mind that there is no clear connection between the level of uric acid in the blood and the development of gout - in some cases gout develop in people whose uric acid levels are within the normal range.
Increased levels of uric acid in the body may be associated with impaired kidney function, as well as with the use of certain medications.
Acute pain, swelling and redness of a joint (usually one or two) occurs. This acute condition (often called a gout attack ) can last for several days or weeks (if no treatment is given). An attack of gout often occurs at night, the joint becomes hot to the touch and very sensitive even to light touches.
The joints of the big toe are very often affected, but other joints (ankle, knee, fingers and hands) can also be involved. In some cases, the tendons of the joint become inflamed at the same time.
If gout attacks occur frequently and over a long period of time, they can cause serious damage to the joints and limit their mobility. In some cases, white nodules (tophi) are observed under the skin of the joints or around the ear, which are accumulations of uric acid crystals.
You should consult a doctor to get an accurate diagnosis. The sooner you see a doctor, the sooner treatment will begin. With properly selected therapy, an exacerbation of gout goes away within 1-2 days. If you really have gout, then, in addition to following all the doctor’s instructions, you should follow a very strict diet.
You should not consume (especially during an exacerbation) all foods rich in purines: organ meats (heart, kidneys, liver, brains, etc.), fatty fish (especially during an exacerbation), salted and fried fish, canned food (meat and fish), sharp and salty cheeses, red meat and products made from it, lard, soups with meat, chicken, fish, mushroom broth; smoked meat products, legumes (lentils, peas, beans, beans, soy).
You should not drink alcoholic beverages that increase the content of uric acid and impair its excretion by the kidneys (beer, cognac, sparkling and dessert wines).
It is recommended to drink enough water and green tea.
During an attack of gout, it is necessary to ensure sufficient rest for the affected joints and try to injure the joint as little as possible with clothing or shoes.
Watch your weight. However, any weight loss program should be carried out under the supervision of a doctor, because... Sudden weight loss can lead to a worsening of gout.
Be sure to tell your doctor about all the medications you take.
A doctor must make a diagnosis by performing various additional tests (including blood tests and uric acid levels). Long-term gout may require an x-ray examination of the joints.
The doctor will prescribe drug therapy during the period of exacerbation, give recommendations on diet and a regimen of physical activity and physical activity.
Based on the results of additional studies, the doctor will select treatment aimed at reducing the level of uric acid in the blood. Keep in mind that medications prescribed during a flare-up are not intended for long-term use and usually do not affect uric acid levels.
If there is a history of gout in your family, then you are at risk. In this case, it is recommended to monitor the level of uric acid in the blood regularly, and also try to adhere to a healthy lifestyle. Gout often occurs in people who are overweight and have high blood pressure. A healthy diet that limits meat and other purine-rich foods plays a crucial role in the prevention of gout.
Gout is a disease associated with the deposition of salt crystals in various tissues, mainly in the joints. It is believed that the disease is associated either with excessive formation of uric acid in the body, or with a decrease in the body's ability to remove this substance from the blood through the kidneys. Primary gout is probably hereditary and is caused by the presence of an abnormal X chromosome. Thus, it is predominantly men who fall ill, and women are usually only carriers of the disease. Secondary gout is caused by other disorders, such as leukemia or cancer of the blood-forming organs (bone marrow, liver, spleen). Secondary joint damage can also be caused by taking certain medications, including aspirin and some diuretics.
With gout, crystalline particles form in the synovial fluid of the joint, which leads to inflammation accompanied by pain. Typically, one joint is affected, often the big toe. At the same time, inflammation of other joints, such as the ankle and knee, is also possible. Acute attacks of gout without treatment last from 3 to 10 days or a little longer.
In the chronic course of gout, frequent exacerbations are observed, leading to persistent disorders in the joints. If there is an excess amount of uric acid in the body, the formation of kidney stones and the deposition of salts in articular cartilage and other tissues, including the skin, are possible. Such deposits can be felt in the form of small nodules, which are called gouty bumps. Nodules are usually found in people who have had gout for 10 years or more.
The development of acute gout is facilitated by the use of alcohol, aspirin, diuretics, as well as severe stress - both physical and emotional.
An acute attack of gout usually develops suddenly. In addition to intense pain in the joint, a number of other symptoms are noted: redness of the skin, swelling and increased temperature in the joint area. The general temperature may also increase. Fatigue and headaches appear.
Gout is a long-term disease that cannot be completely cured. But with the help of therapeutic measures, the course of the disease can be controlled. During attacks and exacerbations, medications are prescribed that reduce pain and inflammation, as well as reduce the level of uric acid in the body. To improve the condition of the joint in the acute period, you need to give it complete rest.
It is also important to monitor a constant normal body weight, since sudden weight loss provokes an exacerbation of the disease. It is also necessary to drink enough water per day. Proper drinking regimen prevents the formation of stones from uric acid crystals in the kidneys.
People suffering from gout should definitely undergo a kidney examination.
Grind 200 g of garlic, 300 g of onions and combine with 0.5 kg of mashed cranberries. Mix everything thoroughly and leave in a container with a tightly closed lid in a dark place for 1 day. Then add 1 kg of honey to this mixture and mix everything thoroughly again. For gout, take 1 teaspoon 3 times a day 15-20 minutes before meals.
Grind 300 g of onions, add 100 g of honey and 600 ml of dry white wine, leave for at least 2 days in a dark, cool place, shaking the contents periodically, strain. Take 2-4 tablespoons per day for gout, as well as for anemia (anemia), dropsy, prostatitis, cystitis, arthritis, diabetes.
Grind 5 large cloves of garlic and half an onion. Cut off an aloe leaf (it's best to take aloe, which has a lot of thorns), take a small piece of beeswax (the size of a quail egg) and put everything in a saucepan. Add 1 tablespoon of melted butter to the mixture. Place on low heat and cook until boiling, stand for another 1 minute, remove from heat and crush and mix everything thoroughly. Cool and apply overnight to the sore spot as a compress for gout.
For gout, consume 100 g of grated carrots daily. Grind on a fine grater and eat with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil.
Take 3 heads of garlic and 4 lemons, remove the seeds from the lemons, peel the garlic and mince everything, pour 7 cups of boiling water over the whole mass, stir, let stand for 1 day, strain and take 2 tablespoons before meals once a day for gout. .
Boil turnips, grind them into a pulp and apply to sore spots for gout and rheumatism.
Pour 1 tablespoon of grated horseradish with 2 cups of boiling water and leave for 1 hour. Soak a gauze cloth in the infusion and apply to sore spots for gout.
Mix powdered black poplar buds and Vaseline in a ratio of 1:4. Apply the ointment to the sore joint. Relieves pain from gout.
Mix 5 drops of formic alcohol with 1 tablespoon of water. Apply as a rub. Rub only in those places where there is swelling, gently stroking the swollen area from bottom to top.
Lubricate the joint affected by gout with radish juice.
In folk medicine, it is believed that treatment with bee stings can bring relief from gout.
Cover strawberries with sugar in a ratio of 5:1. Leave for 5 hours, strain. The juice should be stored in enamel containers. For gout, drink 0.5 cups of fresh juice 3 times a day before meals.
Pour common lilac flowers, without compacting, into a half-liter bottle to the top, fill with vodka or alcohol, leave for 3 weeks in a warm place, strain. Take 30 drops 3 times a day before meals. The course of treatment for gout is 3 months. Use the same tincture for rubbing and compresses.
Pour 50 g of mullein flowers into 0.5 liters of vodka or 70-proof alcohol and leave for 2 weeks. Use the tincture for rubbing as an anesthetic for rheumatic and arthritic pain in the back and joints.
Pour 1 tablespoon of tansy flower baskets with 1 cup of boiling water. Infuse, wrapped, for 2 hours, strain. Drink 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day 20 minutes before meals for pain in the joints, lower back, rheumatism, gout.
Pour 1 tablespoon of fresh celery roots with 2 cups of boiling water. Infuse, wrapped, for 4 hours, strain. For gout, drink 2 tablespoons 3-4 times a day 30 minutes before meals.
Drink juice from fresh leaves of fragrant celery, 1-2 teaspoons 2-3 times a day.
Pour 20 g of quinoa grass with 1 cup of boiling water. Drink 1 glass 3 times a day. Use as a tonic for gout and rheumatism.
Pour 20 g of elderberry flowers into 1 liter of boiling water and leave to infuse in a thermos overnight. In the morning, strain and drink 3 glasses a day. The infusion helps not only with gout, but also with arthritis, rheumatism, and swelling.
Brew the herb tripartite as tea. Leave for 15 minutes without wrapping. Strain and drink only hot for gout. Tea from the string should have a golden color; greenish-cloudy tea has no medicinal effect.
Pour 4 tablespoons of tripartite herb with 5 cups of boiling water, leave for 8-10 hours. Drink 0.5 glasses 3-4 times a day. Use for gout, rickets, arthritis.
Pour 3 tablespoons of St. John's wort herb perforated with 4 cups of boiling water, leave for 2 hours, strain. Take 0.3 cups 3 times a day before meals. The course of treatment is 1-2 months. Use for chronic gout.
Brew lingonberry leaves as tea. For gout, take no more than 4 glasses a day. Lingonberry leaf can be mixed in a 1:1 ratio with linden flowers, chamomile, and raspberry leaf.
Pour 1 teaspoon of dry rhizomes and roots of madder with 1 glass of cooled boiled water. Leave for 8 hours, strain. Pour boiling water over the rest, leave for 10 minutes, strain. Mix both infusions together. Take 0.5 cups 4 times a day for pain in the lower back and joints.
Drink 1 glass 3 times a day of birch sap, collected in early spring. Birch sap relieves gouty pain.
Pour 2 tablespoons of chopped beans with 3 cups of water. Infuse, strain. For gout, drink 0.25 cups 4 times a day before meals.
Pour 20 g of chopped young leaves or unripe walnut fruits with 1 glass of boiling water, leave for 20 minutes. For gout, take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day. The infusion can also be used for rubbing and compresses.
Pour 1-2 teaspoons of chicory herb with 1 glass of boiling water, leave, strain. For gout, drink 0.5 cups 2-3 times a day 30 minutes before meals.
Pour 15 g of juniper berries into 100 ml of boiling water. Rub the tincture into the affected areas.
Mix 2 parts each of hawthorn fruit, linden flowers, blue-headed flowers, 4 parts rose hips, 5 parts thyme herb. Grind the mixture thoroughly. Brew and drink like regular tea for gout.
Mix 5 parts of oregano herb, thyme herb, 3 parts of rose hips, 2 parts of blackberry leaves. Grind the mixture thoroughly. Brew and drink like regular tea.
Mix and grind 6 parts bay leaf and 1 part juniper needles into powder. Grind this powder with 12 parts of fresh butter. Use the ointment for rubbing as an analgesic and sedative for pain in the joints and lower back.
Treatment with herbal baths gives good results for gout. Baths can be prepared with the herb soapwort, a decoction of oat straw, a decoction of stinging nettle roots, a decoction of chamomile inflorescences, a decoction of medicinal sage, an infusion of pine branches, an infusion of black currant leaves. Here are some recipes.
Pour 250 g of calamus rhizome into 3 liters of cold water, bring to a boil, strain and pour into the bath (temperature 35-37°C).
Pour 300 g of stems with chamomile flowers into 5 liters of boiling water, leave for 2 hours, strain, pour into the bath.
Pour 250 g of a mixture of calamus rhizomes and the ground part of creeping thyme, taken in equal quantities, into 3 liters of cold water, bring to a boil, strain and pour into the bath (temperature 35-37 ° C).
Pour 300 g of knotweed herb into 5 liters of boiling water, leave for 2 hours, strain, pour into the bath.
Pour 200 g of sage leaves into 5 liters of boiling water, leave for 2 hours, strain, pour into a bath at a temperature of 34°C. Gradually reduce the water temperature to 26°C. Use for sciatica, polyarthritis, paresis, contractures.
You can help yourself with gout by doing self-massage. First you need to massage the areas around the affected joint and only then the joint itself. In the acute period of the disease, self-massage is not done, but in the subacute period, a light relaxing massage (stroking) is good. When the pain decreases, you can begin kneading around the affected area, gradually moving on to rubbing techniques and gymnastics.
Gout, or gouty arthritis of the joints, is a common disease that most often affects the joints of the lower extremities. Effective treatment for gout on the legs can only be prescribed by a qualified rheumatologist.
What is gout on the legs and how to treat it? The main cause of this joint pathology is the deposition of uric acid crystals, or sodium urates, on the surface of the joints. Uric acid is a breakdown product of purines - nitrogen-containing compounds that are an integral part of protein molecules. It is of great benefit because it is a powerful natural antioxidant that slows down oxidative processes that lead to aging and cell death. Uric acid is also a brain stimulant.
Gouty deposits can occur in any joint joints, but gout is most common in the legs. Due to upright posture, the lower limbs bear the maximum load during movement. There is also slow blood flow in the joints of the legs.
Normally, the content of uric acid in the blood is low, since its excess is excreted by the kidneys. But sometimes the level of acid in the body increases sharply, which causes it to crystallize on the surface of the joints. What causes gout? There can be several reasons for the development of pathology:
Most often, the presence of three factors at the same time is stated, which becomes the impetus for the development of gout. This joint disease is characterized by selectivity based on gender: men suffer from inflammation of the legs due to gout much more often than women, due to the characteristics of their hormonal levels. Among representatives of the fair half of humanity, this disease is less common and occurs in a milder form, in the form of gout on the big toe, popularly known as a “bump” or “bone”.
The fact that gout in the joints is directly related to diet was noticed long ago, and all practicing rheumatologists use diet as a method of treating and preventing gout in the legs. The main reasons for its development include the following factors:
Modern medicine has a large selection of medications to combat gout. But treatment can be successful if the patient consults a doctor in a timely manner and follows all recommendations.
The main symptom of gout is acute joint pain that appears at night or early in the morning. The attacks occur unexpectedly and are so strong that the person does not know where to put the sore leg. During the day, joint pain may subside a little, but by night it returns again. This can continue for three or four days, after which the attack stops as suddenly as it began.
Regardless of the location, the clinical picture of gout looks the same. When the disease worsens, the affected joint turns red and swells, becoming deformed and significantly increasing in size, which is clearly visible in the photo of gout of the knee joint. The temperature of the skin of the joint increases noticeably. His mobility is sharply limited, movements and stress on the leg cause increased pain.
The second sign of gouty pathology is tophi, which are painless subcutaneous nodules that form near the affected joint. Their contents consist of deposited uric acid salts.
Small tophi appear on the joints of the toes, but near large joints - knee, ankle, hip joints, they can reach the size of a chicken egg. As the attack progresses, ulcers appear on their surface, from which a whitish, mushy mass begins to ooze. With the extinction of pathological symptoms, the discharge gradually decreases, the ulcers heal and the tophi disappear.
With gout of the ankle joint, a violation of the correct position of the foot occurs: the gouty foot is flattened, the heel is everted, the axis of the limb is bent - the imaginary vertical line connecting the foot to the lower leg deviates and takes an X-shape. If the hip joint is affected, a photo of gout on the legs shows that this axis takes on the shape of an arc, curved outward.
Experts divide the course of gout of the joints into 4 stages, each of which has its own symptoms:
Diagnosis of gout begins with an external examination and questioning of the patient by a doctor. The severity of pain, swelling of the joint, and the presence of tophi are determined. The patient is sent for various types of examination: blood and urine tests, synovial fluid samples, radiology.
A general blood test for gout demonstrates an increase in the level of leukocytes, its biochemical composition changes, and an increase in the concentration of urates is recorded. Changes in urine are observed only if, simultaneously with the joints, the pathological process also affected the kidneys.
When synovial fluid is punctured, uric acid crystals are found in it. Deposits of these crystals are also visible on X-ray photographs. In the area of the knee and ankle joints, the interarticular space narrows, and pointed growths of regular shape - osteophytes - form along the edges of the bone areas. All these signs are characteristic of the last, tophi stage of gout.
One of the modern instrumental methods for diagnosing gout is scintigraphy with technetium pyrophosphate. This substance, administered intravenously and having the ability to accumulate in places where urate is concentrated, makes it possible to diagnose gout at an early stage, before the formation of tophi.
Scintigraphy is one of the main components of gout treatment. Guided by the data obtained during the process, the doctor decides how and with what to treat gout on the legs.
Inpatient hospitalization for gout is extremely rarely recommended if the disease affects the kidneys. The articular form of the pathology can be treated at home. Drug therapy begins with the use of drugs designated by the abbreviation NSAIDs - non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These include Butadione, Reopirin, Indomethacin. They are available in several pharmacological forms - in the form of tablets, ointments, injections, and have, in addition to anti-inflammatory, analgesic effects.
Among the specific anti-gout drugs that, when treated with medication, help relieve gout attacks and have a positive effect on metabolism, Allopurinol, Allomeron, Urodane, and Colchicine are popular. The latter drug is administered intravenously, and is most effective when used in the first day or even hours after the onset of a gout attack.
In the treatment of gouty arthritis, in addition to medication, physiotherapy is also used. Procedures are recommended to improve blood supply and metabolism in the affected joints:
Physiotherapy procedures for the treatment of gout include massage and physical therapy (physical therapy), necessary to restore normal joint mobility. Massage of the foot, knee and hip joint used for gout improves blood circulation, “kneads” tophi, accelerating the removal of uric acid salts from the body, relieves muscle spasms and prevents the development of muscle contracture. An employee of the physiotherapy office will help the patient master the techniques of such a massage in order to carry it out independently in the future. There he will also be shown a set of physical therapy exercises for gout.
If conservative therapy does not lead to the desired result, and complications arise during the development of the disease, surgical treatment is recommended. There are minimally invasive and invasive techniques. The first group includes removal of tophi, opening of joint cavities to remove pus from them in the event of the development of an acute inflammatory process. Such operations are performed on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia. In advanced situations, doctors have to resort to endoprosthetics - removing the joint affected by gout and replacing it with a prosthesis. But in most cases, gout can be cured using conservative methods, including using traditional methods.
For the treatment of gout, traditional healers offer an ointment made from poplar buds mixed with petroleum jelly in a ratio of 1 to 4, which is used to lubricate sore joints to reduce pain. Also, from two tablespoons of dry herb St. John's wort, poured with a liter of boiling water and infused for 2-3 hours, you can prepare a healing infusion and take it 50 ml three times a day.
The product reduces pain and reduces the concentration of uric acid. A compress made from activated carbon and linseed oil also relieves pain well. To prepare it, you need to grind five tablets of activated carbon into powder, mixing them with a teaspoon of linseed oil. Apply the mixture to a piece of bandage or gauze and apply it to the sore joint, first covering it with polyethylene and then wrapping it in a warm scarf or scarf.
Treatment options for gout include a low-purine diet. The following foods are contraindicated for gout:
Preference should be given to dairy products, cereals, vegetables and fruits. They contain minimal or no purines. The consumption of oil, both butter and sunflower, should also be limited during treatment, since excess saturated fat complicates the process of excretion (removal) of uric acid by the kidneys.
The conservative treatment methods mentioned should only be used after consultation with a doctor. Their combined use makes it possible to achieve stable remission, reducing the number of gout attacks and softening their intensity.
Gout (“disease of kings”) is often associated with the formation of a lump on the big toe. However, the disease is not limited to just the joint, gradually affecting the articular structures of the body and internal organs.
Understanding the process of the onset of the disease and the factors that provoke it gives a chance to correct erroneous metabolic processes, minimize quite painful exacerbations and, finally, avoid disability - so what is it?
Gout is a pathology (failure, disorder) of metabolic processes associated with excessive formation or insufficient removal of uric acid from the body. There are 4 stages of gout formation:
Gout is a purely age-related disease. Almost all older people over 65 years old show signs of this disease. And in children and young people, gouty changes are recorded in exceptional cases.
Men suffer from gout more often; the disease usually takes them by surprise after the age of 40. This fact is due to the physiologically high content of uric acid in male blood. The risk of developing pathology in women increases significantly with the onset of menopause (over 50 years). The causes of this “royal” disease will help you better understand what gout is.
The presence of gout in a person is an indicator of an irrational life (low physical activity, poor diet). That is why gout has been called “the disease of kings” since ancient times because of their idle lifestyle.
The concentration of uric acid in the blood increases for the following reasons:
However, not only external factors can provoke the formation of urate deposits. Gout often develops against the background of:
photo of an exacerbation of gout, the process of manifestation of the first symptoms
The signs of gout cannot be confused with another disease, its manifestations are so specific. The first symptoms appear in the area of the joint of the big toes (one or both). It is this joint of the thumb that gout chooses as its first target.
Gouty arthritis does not produce symptoms until a provocative moment: tight shoes, a feast with overeating and drinking alcohol.
A typical pattern of symptoms for a gout attack:
Suddenly at night there is pain in the joint. This is one of the most severe pain sensations a person will ever experience. Even strong and resilient people note its unbearable intensity, which practically immobilizes the entire foot. The situation is aggravated by the absolute ineffectiveness of painkillers.
Signs of gout, photo of inflammation
The affected joint swells, diffuse hyperemia appears. Body temperature often rises to high numbers (39-40? C).
An attack of gout lasts up to 4 days, and then disappears on its own even without taking medications. Self-removal of painful symptoms is based on the inclusion of phagocytes in the fight against inflammation. Temporary relief, sometimes lasting several years, does not mean recovery.
Pathological changes affect the phalangeal joints of the fingers, larger ankles and wrist joints, and often the knee. The increase in size of the joint and limited mobility do not disappear with the disappearance of the gout attack.
progression of the disease - joint deformation
Progressive gouty pathology is characterized by the following symptoms:
Painless bumps under the skin are a collection of urates. Typical localization: behind the ears, elbows, skin over the affected joint. Tophi are prone to spontaneous opening, and a white curdled mass is released from the wound. A similar picture is observed 5-6 years after the first attack of gout.
The accumulation of urate deposits in the joint leads to its permanent deformation (subluxation) and significant limitation of mobility in it. With a prolonged course of the disease, the patient cannot move without a cane.
The kidneys, as a “cleaning station” of the blood, accumulate urates without ensuring their full removal from the body in the urine. This process gradually forms sand/kidney stones.
If you suspect gout, you should contact a rheumatologist. The diagnosis is made taking into account:
The first step in treating gout is pain relief. Patients suffering from gout should know a list of measures that can reduce pain during an exacerbation:
When seeking medical help and persistent pain, intra-articular administration of steroid drugs and intravenous injection of Colchicine are possible.
Only a qualified doctor can tell you how to treat gout and achieve stable remission, based on the diagnostic results of a particular case. We consider general measures of therapy.
To prevent relapses and development of the disease, the following drugs are prescribed (treatment courses):
With high blood levels of uric acid and low excretory capacity of the kidneys (urinary excretion less than 3.56 mmol/day), the combined use of uricosuretics and uricodepressants is advisable. Doses and duration of taking drugs for the treatment of gout are determined individually. Treatment courses are long (up to 1 year) with a break of 2 months.
Physiotherapy procedures have a beneficial effect on the affected joint: ultraviolet irradiation (during exacerbation), medicinal phonophoresis, paraffin treatment and ultrasound exposure (during remission).
Surgical treatment (arthroplasty, prosthetics) is indicated for significant joint deformation and a significant degree of immobility. Often surgical procedures are performed under local anesthesia using arthroscopy (endoscopic treatment method).
When treating gout at home, it is possible to use the following, the most effective recipes for gout: tincture of lilac or spruce cones, bay leaf decoction.
Without nutritional correction, the effectiveness of drug therapy is significantly reduced. To normalize metabolic processes and prevent the development of exacerbations, be sure to adhere to the following diet:
The diet for gout prohibits the consumption of foods:
Drinking warm mineral water or a glass of water with lemon juice will speed up your metabolism. Also, metabolic processes are normalized with a weekly fasting day.
Only a healthy lifestyle (physical activity, giving up bad habits, proper nutrition) will help you avoid the appearance of gout. This “hackneyed” and often not taken seriously phrase protects the body from many diseases, including gout.
To stabilize the condition and avoid complications, you should strictly follow medical recommendations and strictly adhere to the diet prescribed for gout. Only then will a long fight against the disease bring results.