Be ‘Royally’ Healthy With These Gout Fixes

Despite its long history, gout continues to exist even in our modern society. In previous centuries, gout was thought to have been a disease mainly affecting nobles or royalty, whose gluttonous diets and alcohol intake were likely contributors to this excruciating form of arthritis.

Gout has certainly left its mark throughout history, affecting many prominent figures, such as Leonardo da Vinci, Ludwig Van Beethoven and Queen Victoria. As we begin to take a closer look at the rising rates of gout diagnoses, is there a way to avoid the “king of arthritic diseases” in present society? 

Gout is considered an incurable, chronic condition and requires treatment like lifestyle changes and possibly medication. Learn more about gout symptoms and risk factors, as well how to get pain relief for gout, including self-care tips that may help ease gout symptoms.

Key Takeaways: Gout Relief

• Gout is a painful form of inflammatory arthritis caused by excess uric acid that forms crystals in the joints, leading to sudden attacks of pain, swelling and redness.
• Common gout risk factors include obesity, excessive alcohol intake, diets high in sugar and purines, certain medications and underlying health conditions such as diabetes or kidney disease.
• Treatment typically combines medications with self-care strategies such as icing affected joints, maintaining a healthy weight and staying physically active.
• Making dietary changes, including limiting high-purine foods, cutting back on sugary drinks and choosing more nutrient-rich foods, can help reduce gout symptoms and prevent future flares.

What Is Gout?

Gout is a very painful form of inflammatory arthritis usually caused by the condition known as hyperuricemia. Too much uric acid in your body due to a diet high in purines can produce uric acid crystals that form in the joints. Commonly affected joints include big toes, other toe joints, knees and ankles.

The truth is gout remains common – affecting both men and women of all economic classes. In the United States, 8.3 million adults are living with gout, according to Arthritis by the Numbers, a book of facts and figures from the Arthritis Foundation. 

What Are Symptoms Of Gout?

Symptoms of gout can include:

• Sudden, severe attacks of pain
• Swelling
• Redness and tenderness in one or more joints

Gout pain

Gout pain, part of an “acute attack” as described by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), is sudden and severe. You may feel the bad pain in both your small and big joints such as your:

• Ankle
• Big toe
• Finger
• Knee
• Shoulder

When gout flares occur, the pain can be debilitating.  The intense joint pain can come on suddenly, sometimes in the middle of the night, and could last for days or weeks at a time. 

Infection-like symptoms

Gout pain in your foot and other areas can come with other symptoms that mimic an infection, according to the AAOS.

“Your body reacts to uric acid crystals as if they were a foreign body or bacteria," it explained. "White blood cells and other infection-fighting cells are sent into the area, which results in inflammation. This reaction can look just like an infection.”

Symptoms that mimic those of an infection include:

• Heat
• Redness
• Swelling (inflammation)
• Tenderness

What Are Risk Factors For Gout?

Although for many centuries, gout was called the “disease of kings,” having a royal bloodline does not indicate you’re at an increased risk for gout. However, if your diet is high in sugar and saturated fat, you may be more likely to develop hyperuricema, which can lead to gout.

These risk factors may make you more likely to develop gout:

• Being male
• Being overweight or obese
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Diets high in sugar
• Diets high in purines, which are substances in animal and plant foods that your body converts to uric acid. Examples of purines are red meat, organ meat, gravy, foods high in saturated fat, beer and soda
• Certain medications, such as diuretics
• Comorbidities, including hypertension, diabetes or poor kidney function

What Causes Gout Pain?

The pain is caused by microscopic crystals made of a substance in your body called uric acid.

The body makes uric acid when it breaks down purines, which are found in your body and the foods you eat, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

When there's too much uric acid, crystals can build up in joints, fluids and tissues in the body, the CDC says.

“These tiny crystals are like grains of sand in the joints, preventing smooth range of motion and causing pain and inflammation,” the AAOS said.

How Can I Stop Gout Pain Quickly?

If you’re living with gout, you’re also living with the threat of an attack of gout pain that could happen at any time. With medications and self-care tips at your side, that attack may be far more bearable. 

Medications

For quick relief from pain, reach for NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). These three painkilling options are oral medications:

• Aspirin
• Ibuprofen
• Naproxen sodium 

Your doctor may also prescribe an anti-inflammatory medication to help with gout pain. These include:

• Corticosteroids: You can take these by mouth or get a shot.
• Colchicine: This medication can help with acute attacks and may also stop future attacks.

Self-care tips

Self-care starts with a healthy lifestyle, as outlined by the Arthritis Foundation. Eat well, maintain a healthy weight and work on physical activity. Those goals may help your gout in general, so try these ideas if you need fast pain relief:

• Put ice on your painful joints. If you don’t have an ice pack, crush some ice in a plastic bag or grab a bag of peas from your freezer.
• Use assistive devices like a cane or a walker. These can help you walk when you’re in pain.
• Get rid of anything that puts pressure on your big toe. That extra weight, even from a bed sheet, can cause you pain. Don’t wear a shoe on that foot. If you’re wearing socks, cut a hole for your big toe. And when you sleep, use something to keep the sheets and blankets off.
• Put your foot up. Get your painful foot higher than your chest by stacking pillows underneath.

Gout pain surgery

Gout can cause a lot of damage and gout pain doesn’t always go away with medications and self-care. If you can’t get relief, the Arthritis Foundation explains, you may need surgery:

• Tophi removal: A tophus is the swollen bulbous growth that develops when uric acid crystals build up around your joints. This procedure gets rid of these tophi (plural) so they don’t cause any more problems.
• Arthroscopic uric acid crystal removal: The name of this procedure also describes what it does. Uric acid crystals can get in your joints.
• Joint fusion: This surgery replaces damaged joint cartilage in your hands with plates and screws. You won’t be able to move your hands like you used to, but you won’t have the pain.
• Joint replacement: The surgeon replaces your damaged joint with a prosthetic, or artificial, joint.

What Lifestyle Changes Should I Make For Gout?

Today, there is still a misconception that gout is a disease of the past. So, who gets gout now? 

Here are five simple gout diet fixes you can make to be “royally” healthy and help relieve the symptoms of gout:

1. Cut back on high-purine foods.

Foods such as red meats, organ meats, alcohol and sugar-laden foods. Instead, look for foods low in purines, like cherries, citrus fruits, green vegetables, red bell pepper and squash. You can also add nuts and seeds, low-fat dairy products and whole grains.

2. Limit intake of red meat and fish high in mercury.

You can easily substitute by consuming more poultry or seafood high in omega-3 fatty acids.

3. Avoid sugary foods and beverages.

Sodas sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup have been associated with gout.

4. Drink coffee.

Surprisingly, a small cup o’ Joe has been shown to reverse pain from gout. Coffee is low in purines and is a nice alternative to juices and other high sugar liquids.

5. Spice it up!

Turmeric, garlic, ginger, cayenne and cinnamon all have anti-inflammatory properties and may help with many forms of arthritis.

'Dethrone' Gout Once And For All

Because gout has been linked to obesity, diabetes and heart conditions, you should see your primary care physician for routine care. Many gout treatments are available for chronic sufferers and individualized for each patient. Request an appointment with your primary care physician to get started

Your primary care doctor may refer you to an arthritis specialist, also known as a rheumatologist, in the event a different form of arthritis is causing your symptoms. When gout goes untreated or undiagnosed, it could potentially cause a deformity in the skin of the hands, knees, elbows or toes.