How To Avoid Gout
Friday, August 19th, 2011Gout is a common medical condition wherein a specific part of your body has been affected by an unusual form of arthritis, causing it to swell. Besides being swollen, it can also show a bright tinge of red, as well as a burning sensation on the affected part . The big toe is most commonly the affected part, but it can affect other parts of the body as well .
Gout is caused by high uric acid levels, which causes the blood to be crystallized and be deposited on joints, tendons, and its surrounding tissues . The high uric acid levels are then caused by several causes :
- Alcoholism, or addiction to alcoholic beverages
- Consuming red meat and oily foods
- Dehydration
- Taking medicines or supplements that cause the uric acid levels to increase
- Hereditary or due to race (British and American Blacks are more affected than any other race)
Should you experience a hot and itchy sensation on the affected part, you should seek help from a doctor . Try to consult a rheumatologist if there’s one available, as they are knowledgeably about arthritis, which is the root cause of gout. If you are not able to reach any doctor, or you can’t drive yourself to the hospital, you should do the following as a first-aid treatment:
- Make sure that the swollen joint is aptly raised. Have the joint raised to at least chest level.
- Using ice packs is a good way to minimize the hot, itchy sensation . This helps in keeping the affected part from being swollen as well .
- Don’t let yourself get dehydrated . Make sure that you drink 8 glasses of water per day .
- Cherry juice is very effective in curing gout . Drinking cherry juice can reduce the severity and frequency of gout attacks.
- For perfect gout treatment, take your medicines for arthritis regularly .
Symptoms and other signs of gout should disappear within a week or two . If symptoms still persist, you should immediately seek help, as this might be more complicated . Try not to neglect it, as this might develop into a more serious condition if left entirely. You should have it treated right now; otherwise, you may end up having to be performed surgery to have it cured.