There are a variety of cures for gout at present. Two of the most helpful methods of alleviating gout and gout attacks are medication and natural remedies. Understanding the primary cause of gout will broaden our minds and help us be compliant to the several cures for gout that will definitely decrease the pain and distress gout might have caused us.
An Overview of Gout and its Cause
Gout is an illness brought about by the increased uric acid levels in the body. This ailment is oftentimes characterized by the periodic attacks of acute inflammatory arthritis with the signs and symptoms concentrated on a red, tender, and swollen joint. Almost 50% of gout cases affect the joint in the big toe but gout can likewise affect several joints of the body.
Cures for gout are primarily focused on controlling the uric acid levels of the body. Uric acid acts as the body’s natural antioxidant when it was maintained in normal levels. Significantly high uric acid levels in the body may be a result of the over production of uric acid by the body or inability of the body to excrete them normally. Due to these, the excess uric acid will deposit in the joints and crystallize. The crystallization is the primary cause of gout pain which is so extreme that it can hinder your usual activities.
Medications for Gout
The initial cures for gout attacks involve medications. There are several groups of medications used to alleviate gout attack.
Prompt treatment for pain is one of the primary goals in getting cures for gout. The usual treatment options include the NSAIDs, Colchicine, and steroids.
NSAIDs or Non Steroidal Anti- Inflammatory Drugs are the most effective for gout pain. Patients suffering from gout pain usually feel relieved after 4 hours. Treatment with NSAIDs is usually recommended for 1-2 weeks. However, it is important to note that NSAIDs are not advisable to be taken by individuals with other medical conditions such as kidney failure, heart failure, and bleeding in the stomach and intestines.
For those who cannot tolerate NSAIDs, Colchicine is the best substitute. Steroids such as Glucocorticoids are also proven effective cures for gout if there are contraindications with NSAIDs.
Preventive medications are also prescribed to lower the uric acid level of the body. These medications include allopurinol, febuxostat, and probenecid.
Natural Cures for Gout
Medications are proven to be most effective when coupled with other preventive measures and natural cures for gout. One of the most important factors is diet.
You can effectively decrease the chances of gout attacks in the future if you have a well- planned diet. Dietary management is one of the natural cures for gout that you can readily start from home. Among the recommended foods to be consumed are black cherry juice, strawberries, banana, celery, tomato, pineapple, vitamin C rich foods like red cabbage, red bell peppers, oranges, low- fat dairy products, and at least 8 glasses of water a day.
Of course, there are also foods you need to avoid. Uric acid, which is the main culprit, comes from the breakdown of purine- a substance found in some of the foods we eat. So ideally, foods with high purine content should be avoided. Among them are red meat, seafood, alcoholic drinks, organ meats, yeast containing foods, anchovies, sardines, salmon, veal, bacon and trout. You can research more about gout diet online where there is a wide array of information that you can take advantage of.
Natural cures for gout also include healthy lifestyle- maintaining a normal body weight, regular exercise, and avoiding vices.