Gout is an age-related disease associated with metabolic disorders. It is known that most often this disease occurs…
Gout is an age-related disease associated with metabolic disorders. It is known that this disease most often affects men. However, recently doctors have reported that more and more women are seeking help due to manifestations of gout. This disease is the deposition of excess salts due to metabolic failure. It is characterized by a chronic course with periodic exacerbations. At moments of surge, the disease manifests itself in the form of polyarthritis. Uric acid salts are stored mainly in various joints (ankle, knee, elbow, wrist, finger, shoulder), as well as in tissues. In this case, there is limited mobility of the articular systems, regular inflammation and high pain during exacerbation of the disease.
The disease is quite common. It is quite treatable, but its development can be prevented. Therefore, it will be useful for everyone to know what gout is - symptoms and treatment. There is a so-called risk group - here the likelihood of developing the disease is much higher. This includes diabetics, hypertensive patients, people with a genetic predisposition and a craving for alcohol. Gouty salt deposits appear when there is an excess of uric acid in the body. As is known, it is formed as a result of the processing of purine compounds, which are supplied to the body along with food products and are excreted in the form of a solution - urine.
There are several reasons why the uric acid level begins to creep up:
Oversaturation of blood plasma with uric acid leads to crystallization of uric acid salts in the area of the joint capsules. Soon inflammation of the cartilage tissue flares up. Later, tendons and bone epiphyses may be involved in the process. This will lead over time to complete immobilization of the joint. But it also happens that all indicators are normal and the kidneys work without failures, but gouty manifestations are obvious. Scientists still have a lot to figure out. Well, everything that is currently known, gout - symptoms and treatment with medications and folk remedies, will be described in detail below.
At the initial stage, the disease does not reveal itself in any way. In a patient, hyperuricemia can be detected analytically, a condition in which the saturation of the blood with uric acid is too high. But this does not provide a basis for diagnosing gout, since this phenomenon is characteristic of a number of different diseases. Over time, salt accumulations increase, which leads to the formation of conglomerates - gouty tophi, which can be easily palpated and become noticeable upon visual inspection.
Salt seals are located asymmetrically, protruding more to one side. Inflammation begins in the joint, accompanied by pain, often unbearably severe, and redness of the skin in the affected area. As already noted, this is a chronic disease. During remission, inflammation subsides and no significant pain is observed.
A woman's body produces estrogens in large quantities. These hormonal compounds trigger and control various processes. These include the removal of uric acid from the body. It is safe to say that as long as estrogens are normal, a woman is not at risk of gout. However, there comes a time when the estrogen level rapidly drops. This is menopause. This is where there is a significant chance of getting sick. In patients, the symptoms manifest themselves quite clearly and recognizing the disease is not difficult: the inflamed joint loses its former mobility, the affected area is red, hot, swollen, and painful.
In addition to these, other associated symptoms may be observed.
A distinctive feature of gout in women is damage to the ankle or knee joint. But the disease can affect more than one joint. An acute attack usually begins in the morning and can last from several days to a couple of weeks. The pain can be so intense that a woman cannot perform simple acts of self-care.
As previously reported, representatives of the male population are much more susceptible to gouty lesions than women. The disease manifests itself around the age of forty. And since it is practically impossible to identify it at the initial stage, gout is diagnosed during the period of activation of inflammation based on characteristic symptoms.
In men, gout most often affects the joints of the feet. The disease often manifests itself in the formation of the notorious lump at the base of the big toe. But any other joints can also be affected. It should also be noted that a hereditary tendency to gout is a death sentence for a man - the disease will develop with a one hundred percent chance. As for the genetic factor in women, the development of the disease is a probabilistic event. It's all about the chromosome set. The breakdown of purine compounds is controlled by the X chromosome gene. Men have one, and women have two. Therefore, dysfunction of a gene on one female X chromosome leads to compensatory activation of the same gene on the second chromosomal strand.
So why do men get gout more often? There are several reasons. Representatives of the stronger sex more often show a penchant for various excesses. These include overeating, the predominance of unhealthy and heavy foods in the diet, and addiction to alcohol. Also important is the fact that the amount of estrogens produced in the male body is relatively small. And men don’t like to go to the hospital and wait until the last minute, until the disease takes a very severe form.
Given the chronic nature of the development of the disease, it should be concluded that the disease cannot be completely reversed, with very rare exceptions.
The main objectives of therapeutic measures are a complex effect on the body with the aim of:
The treatment regimen and set of recommendations are determined by a rheumatologist, who should be contacted immediately after the symptoms of the disease described above appear. The specialist makes his conclusions based on the general clinical picture, the results of an auxiliary examination, the degree of neglect of the disease and the presence of complicating factors. Therapeutic measures include medication, a special low-purine diet, and hardware. Alternative medicine is also widely used. Many patients trust them more than traditional medications.
Dietary nutrition for gouty arthritis is the most important condition for the effectiveness of the entire treatment program.
Basic principles of the diet:
In case of gout, fish and meat decoctions, offal, meat of young livestock and fatty varieties, non-dietary fish, mushroom dishes, smoked and canned products, legumes, and animal fat are prohibited.
Meat and fish additives are allowed, but subject to certain conditions:
As for salt, its maximum amount is a teaspoon per day, no more. How can I track this? Pour your daily dose into a salt shaker. Prepare dishes without salt. Add salt to them immediately before use so that the measured amount is enough for the whole day.
It is recommended to saturate your diet with a variety of vegetables and fruits, vegetarian soups, dairy products, nuts, and dried fruits. You need to monitor your drinking regime - you need to drink a lot (in the absence of cardiac contraindications), at the rate of 20 g of liquid per kilogram of body weight daily. Any drinks are shown, except alcoholic, coffee, chocolate. And the tea needs to be brewed weaker. The emphasis is on herbal decoctions, purified and alkaline mineral water.
The exacerbation period is characterized by severe pain due to an active inflammatory process in the joint. Therefore, the main efforts are aimed at stopping it and relieving symptoms.
First of all, you need to stop the inflammation and relieve the pain. For this purpose, a non-steroidal group of anti-inflammatory drugs (except those made on the basis of aspirin) and analgesics are used. If there are no positive changes, then the doctor may prescribe glucocorticoids. If you have renal failure, you should be closely involved in its treatment. The same applies to various concomitant diseases (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity, etc.).
Drugs for the treatment of gout
Traditional medicine fits well into complex therapy. They harmoniously complement traditional treatment and promote rapid relief from gout symptoms. The following remedies are used at home to treat gout.
Chamomile, birch buds, elderberry, radish. It is useful to drink chamomile decoction, birch bud infusion, elderberry tea, and radish juice. Baths (salt, chamomile flower decoction, soda, iodine), compresses (cabbage leaf with honey, steamed nettle, a mixture of mustard with soda and honey) will help relieve pain.
Lard. Applications made from unsalted lard or fresh fish have proven effective. To make them, you need to take small pieces of them and tape them to the sore spot for several hours. If the toes are affected, they are covered with slices, wrapped in cling film and socks are put on.
Iodine and aspirin. You can apply an iodine mesh to the swollen area or simply lubricate it with iodine. A mixture of iodine solution with the addition of aspirin is also good. For half a bottle of iodine you will need 5 crushed tablets. The composition should be coated on sore joints. You can make a warm bath with baking soda and a few drops of iodine.
Garlic tincture. Garlic tincture helps with gout. To prepare it, you need to pour 100 g of pureed garlic with a glass of alcohol and wait 10 days. The finished mixture is filtered and taken orally 30 drops daily.
Bay leaf. A decoction of bay leaves has a positive effect on the condition of joints. 5 g of raw material is poured into 300 g of boiling water and boiled for about five minutes, after which it is infused, wrapped in a towel. The resulting decoction should be drunk over the next 24 hours.
After the attack is over, it is necessary to strictly follow the preventive recommendations. This will reduce the duration of periods of exacerbation, increase the intervals between them, and help make symptoms less pronounced. You will need to adhere to a low-purine diet (diet No. 6 is recommended). Portions should be small, and the number of meals should be increased to 5-6. It is necessary to maintain an active drinking regime. It will help activate kidney function, which will promote enhanced removal of salts from the body. If there is any renal dysfunction, you should undergo an appropriate course of treatment.
It is important to adhere to all the doctor’s recommendations and attend the physiotherapeutic procedures prescribed by him (electrophoresis, magnetic therapy, ultrasound, etc.). Physical therapy under the guidance of an instructor is also of great importance. Classes should be carried out regularly - this is the key to noticeable positive changes in the development of joints and improvement of their mobility. And it never hurts to follow the principles of a healthy lifestyle, do not overwork, avoid stress and do not forget about the benefits of walking.
Today I’ll tell you about treating gout at home. This disease is easily treated, the main thing is not to let it get worse. As a result of a violation of purine metabolism, an accumulation of uric acid occurs in the body. This acid is excreted by the kidneys, but if a lot of it comes in, the elimination process becomes slower. The kidneys simply cannot cope with the load and the body has to store acid salts inside itself.
As a result of biochemical reactions, poorly soluble sodium urate salts are formed. These salts block our filters - the kidneys. Sodium salts are also deposited on the joints. Asymptomatic at first. The concentration simply increases until some relapse triggers an attack of gout. This could be an overabundance of purine-containing foods, alcoholic drinks, and even fasting! That's when a person realizes that he has gouty arthritis. And there it’s not far from deformation of the joint.
By the way, crystalline sodium urate salts can be deposited not only in the joints, but also simply under the skin. These hard lumps are formed, which over time rupture and a substance similar to coarse salt spills out of them. It's good when the salts come out like this. But most often they are deposited in the kidneys and bladder. And this is pyelonephritis and renal failure.
First of all, it is necessary to conduct a biochemical blood test to determine the level of uric acid. For those who are predisposed to gout, it is advisable to do tests once every three months. The analysis will give you an idea of how serious the situation is in your case. Otherwise, it will not be easy to recognize an impending illness.
In addition, I also recommend checking the uric acid content in your urine. And if its concentration in the blood is near the upper limits, and in the urine near the lower limits, then this means that there is a delay in the body and salts accumulate in the joints and tissues of the body.
Overcoming gout is very easy. If the pain is acute, that is, you are having an attack, then take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - butadione, movalis, ketoprofen, diclofenac, ibuprofen. The course of treatment is one week. These substances are well and quickly absorbed, reducing pain and inflammation.
There is also Colchicine from the tubers of the colchicum plant. It prevents the formation of salt crystals.
The most proven drug is Allopurinol. It is usually sufficient to inhibit the development of gout. The drug prevents the deposition of uric acid salts in the joints. The course is two months, one tablet per day.
Purines enter our body exclusively through diet. Therefore, the main remedy in the fight against gout is diet. And it must be for at least two years. So use your patience and get ready to reconsider your diet. Risk groups include overweight people who lead a sedentary lifestyle and eat excessively.
Potatoes, cereals, boiled lean meat, pasta, fish, rabbit, turkey, skim milk and cottage cheese. You can eat a little cheese. Drink carrot juice, and you can also eat grated carrots.
Green apples. Cucumbers, white cabbage. Beets, pumpkin, onions, garlic. Lemons, watermelons. Bread, two boiled eggs a week, green tea. Vegetable oil and dill. Go to the store with this list. Combine foods and build your own diet.
If you have gout, you should avoid foods that acidify your urine. These are wines, kvass, sour juices, fermented milk products such as kefir. Also avoid cauliflower, sorrel, broccoli, pickled vegetables and legumes. Offal and seafood, various smoked meats, sausages and mayonnaise are also contraindicated. You cannot eat baked goods or canned food. No cakes or margarines. Avoid rich meat broths. Coffee and black tea should also be excluded.
Gout, or as it is also known as “the disease of kings,” is a lifestyle disease. Heavy meals lead to excess fat deposits, which increase the load on joints, increase the risk of developing diabetes, and cause metabolic disorders.
This “vicious circle” involves the kidneys, which cease to cope with their duty of removing uric acid from the body, its crystals settle in the joints, causing acute pain, swelling and redness, and nodules - tophi - begin to appear near the affected cartilage tissue under the skin. And all this happens due to a seemingly harmless habit - an addiction to foods rich in purines. Of course, if gouty arthritis occurs, it will have to be abandoned.
Gout requires strict adherence to the diet and avoidance of foods containing purine bases. The list of prohibited foods is quite extensive, but with the use of such a diet, the body is gradually cleansed, a person’s tastes change and he is no longer drawn to the listed foods.
For gouty arthritis, you will have to give up: animal refractory fats; broths (meat, fish, mushroom); any semi-finished products; meat of young animals and birds; fatty or salted fish, caviar; any offal; canned food; products containing yeast; sauces; baked goods, sweets containing cream, chocolate; most seasonings; fatty and salty cheeses; most mushrooms; legumes; grapes, raisins, figs, raspberries; sauerkraut, rhubarb, sorrel, celery, cauliflower, radish, radish, broccoli; alcohol; carbonated drinks and salt-saturated mineral water; cocoa, coffee, strong tea.
There is a fairly extensive list of products that contain purine bases, but in quantities that allow their rare consumption. I would like to note that the products on this list should be completely excluded during an exacerbation period.
Products containing moderate levels of purines: diluted whole milk; unleavened low-fat cheese and sour cream; boiled lean meat and fish; Forest mushrooms; white cabbage, tomatoes; natural apple cider vinegar, salt, bay leaf; parsley, lettuce, green onions.
For gouty arthritis, a dairy-vegetable diet is indicated. At the same time, dairy products should be taken low-fat and the manufacturer should be carefully selected. Unfortunately, nowadays it is extremely difficult to find products from large companies with an adequate composition - they are most often prepared on the basis of palm oil.
This is an extremely harmful product, so it is better to buy dairy products from trusted private traders, and prepare yoghurts and kefir at home.
For gout, the basis of the diet should be: fermented milk products, low-fat cottage cheese; buckwheat, rice, pearl barley; vegetable oil; eggs; nuts; honey; durum pasta; dried unleavened coarse bread; vegetables (especially potatoes); fruits; dried fruits; ginger; juices, decoctions, compotes, jelly, herbal and green tea.
It is very useful to spend a fasting day once a week on any permitted fruit or vegetable. In addition, if you have gout, it is highly advisable to adhere to the rules of separate nutrition. Some combinations of products can be extremely harmful, polluting the body and aggravating the course of the disease.
With gouty arthritis, overeating, like starvation, causes exacerbation attacks. Meals should be divided, about 5-6 meals a day in small portions, chewing food thoroughly. It is better to replace dinner before going to bed with a glass of kefir or jelly.
In order to speed up the process of expelling salts from the body, you can use rice or sunflower root. Rice should be used as medicine - soak 2 tbsp overnight. l., drain the water in the morning and boil it in clean water, consume without salt, oil or any additives every morning 3 hours before the first meal for 40 days.
As for the sunflower root, a glass of roots should be filled with three liters of cold water, boiled and boiled for 5 minutes. After the broth has infused and cooled, you can drink it, preferably an hour before meals. You need to drink at least 1.5 liters per day. The boiled roots should be used 2 more times, each time increasing the boiling time by 5 minutes.
As for the drinking regime, a person with gout needs to drink from two to three liters of fluid per day. It is highly desirable that at least 65% of this should be high-quality clean water. The rest of the time you can drink freshly squeezed juices, fruit drinks, decoctions and herbal teas.
Eggplants are very good at removing uric acid salts from the tissues and joints of the body. As well as decoctions of lingonberries, blueberries, currants and cherries. I recommend drinking these compotes daily to anyone who suffers from gout.
Rosehip decoction, linden and mint tea are also useful. To alkalize body tissues, it is very good to drink mineral water such as Borjomi, Essentuki No. 17, Smirnovskaya, Slavyanskaya.
Take one tablespoon of herbal mixture. Knotweed, horsetail, marsh cinquefoil, bearberry. They must be taken in equal parts. Pour a glass of boiling water over the herbs and simmer for 15 minutes over low heat. Then leave for 45 minutes. Drink a third of a glass three times a day.
Take two tablespoons of a mixture of stoneberry, strawberry and blackberry leaves. Pour a liter of boiling water over them and leave for 15 minutes. Drink one glass three times a day. The course of treatment is one month.
Take two tablespoons of a mixture of dandelion leaves, sage, mint, yarrow herb, chicory herb, corn silk, parsley, buckthorn bark. Take the components in equal parts. Pour two glasses of boiling water over them and leave for forty minutes. Drink a third of a glass every day three times a day for a month.
Pour boiling water over a kilogram of lemons for five minutes, then cut them and grind them in a meat grinder. Add a kilogram of granulated sugar to the mixture and place in a glass jar. Eat the composition three times a day, one teaspoon, add a spoonful of the composition to a glass of water and mix a quarter spoon of soda into it. Keep refrigerated.
The real punishment in old age is gout. This disease occurs when there is an increased level of uric acid in the blood, resulting in salt deposits in the joints.
Excess uric acid can be controlled by diet. Avoid foods that contain uric acid and purines.
You cannot eat anchovies, pork feet, sardines, tongue, or brains. Forget about sausages, liver, kidneys, offal. Herring, veal's head, caviar, meat broth, veal thymus and gelatin are contraindicated for you.
You should also consume trout, carp, game, turkey, and pig very moderately. Avoid dried meats, crustaceans, lentils, spinach, sorrel, and asparagus. Do not eat sauerkraut, mushrooms, cheese, chocolate. Don't drink coffee and tea.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW! The only remedy for JOINT PAIN, arthritis, arthrosis, osteochondrosis and other diseases of the musculoskeletal system, recommended by doctors! Read more.
Complex, invisible processes that support life in the body are almost impossible to hear or feel. Without special equipment, it is impossible to monitor the activity of brain synapses, contraction of the heart muscle, and metabolism. The latter process is critical for the proper functioning of the body; if it is disrupted, organs malfunction and health deteriorates. Against the background of changes in the metabolic process, the formation and subsequent development of gout begins.
The disease is a systemic type, caused by serious disturbances in purine metabolism caused by poor diet, lifestyle habits, and other factors. Symptoms and treatment of the disease are associated with the main problem of the disease – increased levels of uric acid in the body. The acid gradually crystallizes in sectors of the body - most often on the joints of the hands, knees, feet, and toes. Salt deposition occurs and tophi form - cone-shaped growths that are visible without special diagnostics.
The body’s reaction is sharp, a number of symptoms appear:
Gout occurs in any joint - elbows, neck, legs, wrists. More often the disease affects the legs - knees, feet, fingers. In seven cases out of ten - the phalanges of the big toes. Therefore, when they talk about a disease, they often mean problems with the musculoskeletal system. The root cause lies in metabolic disorders, which affects other organs.
In particular, gout affects the kidneys, which physically cannot cope with the huge volume of uric acid. It is fraught with the formation of kidney stones, dysfunction of the excretory system, and chronic gout. If the patient did not have problems with the kidneys, the excretion of salts and acids will still worsen, which will complicate the course of the disease. Timely detection of signs and treatment of the disease are important.
At the first symptoms that resemble the development of the disease, you should consult a doctor. By engaging in treatment in the early stages, you can avoid painful attacks and complications. Most people are unaware of the danger they face.
People don’t know how critical life processes occur, like metabolism. People think about disorders and health conditions after the onset of illnesses, which is bad; getting rid of gout is not easy.
Citizens are accustomed to encountering references to gout on the pages of literary works, books; Hippocrates, doctors, and ancient scientists wrote about gout. The disease became famous as the “Disease of Kings” - it often affected the nobility, the rich, merchants, and officials. Selectivity is associated with typical features of “aristocratic” life - overeating, obesity, regular consumption of alcohol, junk food, lack of physical activity. The diet contained a lot of fish, meat, and other high-calorie, purine foods, which provoked the onset of the disease.
The poor could not afford such luxury. Hard work, medicinal herbs, and a modest diet reduced the incidence of gout. Traditional medicine was the only way to fight illnesses. Many methods known then are still used today - decoctions of chamomile, raspberries, cinquefoil.
Unlike ordinary people, aristocrats and wealthy people could use the services of a doctor. Thanks to hygiene, foot baths with healing properties, expensive medicinal potions, and oils, they were able to relieve symptoms. Although at that time medicine did not know very well how to treat gout on the legs.
During wars, supplies of food and alcohol were suspended and stopped. At such moments, cases of gout became fewer. Associated with the factor that provokes gout - exposure to alcohol. Beer, wine, and alcoholic beverages negatively affect metabolism and kidneys suffer. Salts are excreted worse, and the risk of deposits increases. The deposits increase, cause damage to the joint capsule, and destroy the joint.
The cause of gout is an unhealthy lifestyle and negative working conditions. If a person moves little, sits still for a long time, and does not pay attention to physical fitness, the blood vessels become weak and undeveloped, which increases the risk of deposits. Office workers, teachers, and drivers are at risk.
A common misconception is that only old people have joint problems. This is partly true, a significant proportion of people with diseases of the musculoskeletal system are over forty years old. The risk of gout remains the same for all age groups. In addition to age, there are factors of heredity, lack of vitamins, minerals, and gender - gout occurs more often in men than in women. Do not forget about the nutrition factor - young, athletic people who do not have health problems or genetic predisposition will remain at risk if they eat unhealthy food.
It is not difficult to completely restore JOINTS! The most important thing is to rub this into the sore spot 2-3 times a day.
It is impossible to completely cure gout. Therapeutic measures are a long, complex process aimed at neutralizing symptoms and preventing deterioration. You can reduce the risk of renewed attacks and the occurrence of excess uric acid. It is necessary to level out the metabolic process, lose excess weight, and optimize nutrition.
Before you begin treating gout with medications or folk remedies, you should discuss the details of your diet with your doctor. Diet therapy is considered an important element in treatment. The diet for gout is similar to that prescribed for urolithiasis, kidney disease, and difficulty excreting salts. Aimed at reducing the amount of purines, suppressing the production of uric acid, salt deposits, has the following features:
The essence of diet therapy is to cleanse the body of salts and purines, stabilize digestion, and minimize the possibility of relapse due to poor nutrition. Diet alone is not enough to treat gout. We need a balanced, comprehensive approach.
Many doctors are uncompromising about the topic of self-medication and treatment of serious illnesses at home. It is one thing to engage in strictly prohibited self-medication, trying unfamiliar drugs and hoping for random success, another thing is to treat gout at home, following the doctor’s instructions.
Most patients find it more comfortable and calmer to return to normal at home than in a hospital. In addition to the psychological effect, there is a purely practical one. It is easier for patients, especially the elderly, to undergo treatment at home - it is difficult and impossible to move independently on legs affected by gout. A trip to the clinic or a trip to the hospital involves movement; sometimes it is better to refrain from this, at least until the attack passes.
Following a diet, light, regular exercise, and taking care of your feet will relieve most of the symptoms of gout. If a patient has been diagnosed with this, it is impossible to do without medication. It will not be possible to relieve gout pain without them, especially when treated at home. There are creams, gels, and ointments that relieve symptoms, but this is an auxiliary element of treatment.
Therefore, the doctor prescribes medications to control and curb relapses associated with the disease. They will be the first aid for gout; in combination with diet they have a positive effect. These are mainly drugs whose effect is to suppress uric acid (anturan, allopurinol), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, celecoxib, meloxicam), drugs that stop an attack of the disease (diclofenac, nimesulide). Thanks to the remedies, the patient can independently relieve a gout attack at home.
You should follow a strict dosage of medications and take those recommended by your doctor. There are often cases when, after taking medications, acid crystals, disturbed by the exposure, were broken, the body gave a response - attacks of pain of varying intensity, tumors, swelling. Treatment of gout at home relies on diet and proper use of medications.
Folk methods, traditional remedies, such as herbal remedies, are often used simultaneously with medications. Doctors allow its use because treating gout with herbs does not interfere with the main process and helps cope with the symptoms. You can treat gout at home using foot baths, decoctions, and rubbing. Roots, herbs, extracts, tinctures, and other natural preparations are actively used.
Rosehip infusion, chamomile infusion, and a mixture of horseradish and radish for rubbing are common. This treatment option is useful for people who have other health problems. For example, if a patient, in addition to gout, has problems with the liver and stomach, some medications are contraindicated. In folk medicine, harmless remedies are used. You should not expect serious results from them - they serve as an auxiliary tool.
Bandages, compresses, and massage oils are also used.
The causes of the disease can be factors such as:
At the first stage of development of gouty arthritis, no special signs of the disease are detected. They are determined a little later, when the disease develops into the second stage. During this period, the patient notices pain that occurs intermittently, mainly at night. They are expressed:
It happens that the pain goes away and does not make itself felt for some time. But this is not a reason to rejoice, the disease did not go away, but only lay low and entered a state of remission. The next attack is just around the corner, and it could be much stronger. There is no need to delude yourself during this period, and in order to prevent the disease from becoming chronic, you need to urgently visit a doctor’s office. Otherwise, destruction of joints and bone tissue may lead to surgical intervention.
People with hypertension are also more likely to suffer from gout. This occurs due to excessive use of diuretic drugs. It is impossible to independently determine the disease and the degree of its development; at the first sign, you should contact a medical institution and be examined in the most thorough manner.
Only an arthrologist or rheumatologist can diagnose the disease. After determining the stage of the disease, treatment methods that are effective and appropriate to the individual characteristics of the patient will be prescribed.
What does diagnostics include? First of all, a number of measures aimed at identifying joint damage:
Treatment of this disease is complex and has a number of necessary components:
In order to achieve relief from the painful symptoms of the disease and alleviate inflammation, medications should be taken. They are aimed at reducing pain, relieving inflammation in the joint, and suppressing the formation of uric acid. Typically, gouty arthritis is relieved with the following medications:
During the acute stage of the disease, treatment is somewhat different than during the remission period. When the disease worsens, you naturally need to focus on medications and take them as prescribed. If the lower extremities are affected, you should adhere to bed rest and make an elevation for the affected leg. An application should be made to the joint using Vishnevsky ointment, this will help alleviate the pain somewhat and relieve inflammation.
Unfortunately, it must be said that it is almost impossible to cure gouty arthritis completely. But keeping the disease under control is within the power of everyone. Diet is the main condition for treating and keeping the disease in a state of hibernation.
She must be half-starved. The patient is prescribed liquid porridges without milk, vegetable soups and broths, and jelly with minimal sugar content. It will be very good to alleviate the disease with a large amount of water, lemon infusion, or rice broth due to alkalization of the body and the removal of uric acid from it. It is recommended to drink mineral water at Essentuki 17, Borjomi.
The following foods should not be consumed if you have gout::
The usual period of exacerbation is about three days, then a stage of relief begins. From now on, traditional methods and physiotherapy can be used to treat gout.
Since ancient times, herbal remedies and many individual plants have helped cope with chronic gout, therefore, we recommend the following remedies:
This treatment is carried out in a course of at least 25 procedures. Duration up to half an hour. If the water cools down, add hot water and continue the process. The temperature should not fall below 38 degrees.
For joint pain, you can use a method such as bandages and compresses. They can be made using inexpensive and familiar means.
Homemade ointment can replace pharmacy analogues and achieve no less effect.
Recipe No. 1. Take butter and alcohol in equal proportions. Mix and set fire to burn off the alcohol. Place the remaining mass in a container and put it in the refrigerator. In the morning and evening, lubricate the sore spot.
Recipe No. 2. Vegetable oil in the amount of a quarter cup, mix with the same amount of laundry soap grated on a fine grater. Add 50 ml of pure kerosene and a small spoon of baking soda to the resulting mixture. This mixture helps relieve pain.
Recipe No. 4. Mix the egg, vinegar essence (1 glass) and melted l. butter (200 g). Let this product sit for three days, then apply it to a cloth and apply to the affected area. Do not remove the bandage for three days. This treatment should be repeated every three days for two weeks.
Useful decoctions and tinctures
To enhance the effect of treatment, you can prepare some of their recipes at home.
Video about gout and how to treat it:
The development of the disease is promoted by the accumulation of uric acid (urate salts) in the joints of the human body. The process is observed in cases of protein metabolism disorders in the patient’s body. The accumulation of uric acid is caused by improper functioning of the kidneys, an individual characteristic (too rapid accumulation of urate salts, in which even healthy kidneys are not able to remove harmful substances out).
Over time, uric acid crystals begin to accumulate on any joint, resulting in bumps that are visible to the naked eye. The body's defenses perceive neoplasms as a threat and try to get rid of the foreign body. Attacking their own joints, they begin to swell, turn red, and pain of varying degrees of intensity appears.
Lack of medical care and appropriate treatment leads to the formation of kidney stones, destruction of the joint capsule, further mandatory surgery, and disability. Traditional medicine will help prevent negative consequences and get rid of pain.
How to treat gout at home? It is important to choose an effective natural product and prepare the remedy correctly. An important role is played by the combination of healing activities with a healthy lifestyle and adherence to a special diet. Useful tips and important aspects of preparing healing recipes are described in detail in the following material.
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Such manipulations quickly relieve pain; they are usually done at night. During this time, the active substances are well absorbed and fulfill their purpose perfectly. It is recommended to secure the compress with a scarf or gauze, insulate it with a mitten or sock. The treatment is long, but shows excellent results:
Herbal medicine is very popular, and an important plus is that herbs are easy to purchase/dry and prepare. Medicinal tinctures and decoctions involve the use of one or more plants at the same time:
Such therapeutic manipulations are used for gout on the legs. To prepare a healing bath, take any herb or mixture of dry plants. Sage, calendula, rosemary, celandine, elderberry, and cinquefoil are perfect for such purposes. Basic proportion: 100 grams per 6 liters of water. Place the legs in a warm solution, hold for 10 minutes, gradually add warm solution. It is allowed to add a tablespoon of salt and the same amount of iodine to the bath. Carry out therapeutic manipulations every evening for three weeks.
After your appointment with the doctor, a comprehensive treatment plan for the disease will be drawn up. There is no way to cure gout at home using only medications or only compresses. The maximum effect is ensured by regular use of all directions and methods of treating the disease. The main goal of drug therapy is to eliminate signs of arthritis and remove urate salts from the blood, for which the following is prescribed:
For effective therapy, doctors recommend following a diet that promotes recovery and prevention of attacks. Nutrition involves eliminating certain food groups and increasing consumption of others. For local treatment, you should use ointments, compresses from a pharmacy or according to traditional medicine recipes. On the toes, the disease manifests itself as arthritis and tophi. The latter become a consequence of the deposition of uric acid salts. During the period of remission, the maximum effect of treatment is achieved by additional physical procedures:
The medicinal component of the course of treatment involves the use of painkillers, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, drugs whose effect is to normalize the metabolism of the human body. The complex can be divided into two directions:
The method of how to treat gout on the legs at home should be prescribed by a doctor, since self-medication can lead to side effects. To stop an attack, a person can take Voltaren, Ibuprofen, Nimulid, which are anti-inflammatory drugs. A gout attack can be treated with Colchicine, which has a short effect. Remember that excessive use of these tablets can have a negative effect on the functioning of the intestines, stomach, liver, and blood clotting.
The effectiveness of medications Kenalog, Diprospan (steroid hormones) will be maximum when administered intra-articularly. Oral intake of these drugs leads to a large number of side effects. The most effective remedy for exacerbation will be Colchicine, because it provides instant relief for the patient. Treatment with these drugs can only be done in short 3-7 day courses. For a long time, when treating the disease, Purinol (Allopurinol) is taken to reduce the level of uric acid.
In order to comprehensively treat gout, it is necessary, in addition to oral medications, to use topical agents. This is not an independent direction, but part of overall treatment. Variants of ointments differ in their effect and effectiveness. Typically, the following options are used:
There is no inpatient treatment for the disease; after a course is prescribed, a person can carry out most of the procedures (except for physiotherapy) on their own. Traditional healers have created several recipes for how to treat gout at home:
One of the most common ways to treat gout at home is compresses. They are applied to an inflamed joint to alleviate a person’s condition and help the body cope with pain. You can use the following options:
If pain occurs, it is important to provide the body with plenty of water. A chronic condition can be controlled by a diet, the rules of which will be described below. During research, doctors have proven that 6-8 glasses of water per day help reduce the negative consequences of an attack and improve the condition. We are talking exclusively about regular drinking water; you should avoid drinking carbonated drinks. Taking medications in a timely manner, applying a compress to the affected area, and drinking plenty of fluids will help cope with gout.
In the event of a serious attack, you need to know how to treat acute gout at home and first aid techniques for the patient. Relatives or friends must do the following:
During the period of exacerbation, it is recommended to treat gout with Colchicine. The scheme of use for acute pain at home is based on a decreasing principle and looks like this:
It will be possible to get rid of gout forever only if you follow the rules of nutrition and follow all the doctor’s recommendations regarding the treatment of the disease. You can treat the disease at home with a diet by eliminating harmful foods from the menu and increasing the intake of healthy ones. Dietary recommendations:
If you have gout, you need to reduce your consumption of:
In case of gout, it is necessary to increase consumption:
Christina, 43 years old
For several years I suffered from gout, my big toe hurt very much. I immediately started taking medications and chose Colchicine because it is made from herbs and is the most natural remedy. It is good for gout, but only temporarily. It was possible to achieve results at home only after 3 years of using a diet, compresses and Nimesil.
Gout is rare now, and even less common in men than in women, but I “loved” this unpleasant disease. First one shoulder hurt, then the other, the doctor said that it was necessary to remove excess uric acid from the body. Medicines and compresses based on Diclofenac helped. On the recommendation of a doctor, I had to quit smoking.
In my case, the main cause of pain from gout was the accumulation of uric acid and it was necessary to remove it. Medicines are the best way to help with this, but pain can be quickly relieved at home only with compresses. I constantly drink a lot of fluids, follow a diet, and so far the disease is no longer bothering me.