Gout Attacks

Gout Attacks

Gout is caused by the increase in the amount of uric acid in the blood. Uric acid is normally removed from the body through the urine, however if it is not excreted it can form crystals, which irritate body tissues like the lining of joints. This will in turn cause inflammation and pain, which is often quite severe.

• Some gout attacks patients may need joint fluid removed for analysis and during the process can have local numbing medicines injected into the joint.
  
• These numbing medicines are also called local anesthetics.
  
• Sometimes steroids are injected into a joint to decrease the inflammation.
  
• The presentation of an article on Foods Gout plays an important role in getting the reader interested in reading it.
  
• This is the reason for this presentation, which has gotten you interested in reading it!
  

• A person is on many medications, which can cause gout, changing these may help.
  
• One common cause is diuretic medications, which decrease leg swelling or edema.
  
• Many older individuals are on these medicines and if they get a gout attack they must remember this fact.
  

• The relief of pain is remarkable with some of the anti-inflammatory medicines also called NSAIDS or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications.
  
• The typical example is indomethacin or ibuprofen.
  
• Applying local ice or heat may sometimes help as well as keeping the joint without moving or bumping into objects.
  

As with all medications make sure you do not have an allergy to them and sometimes taking the medicine with food may decrease stomach upset or gastric distress, especially medicines like steroids.

• Colchicine is typically used if the first line medications like NSAID's do not help but most people have relief of pain ultimately.
  
• Even if no medicines are taken the attack will subside in a few days.
  
• However if repeated attacks occur there can be lasting damage.
  
• Could there be a nicer way of beating gout than by eating a couple of bowls of strawberries a day?
  
• They are, after all, one of the world's most popular and delicious fruit.
  
• So is this idea, which is quite well known in the world of gout treatment, a myth or magic?
  
• What does the evidence amount to?
  

Relief from Gout Pain by Controlling Uric Acid | Gout and Uric Acid

Strawberries' Flavonoids are Anthocyanidins, Flavan-3-Ols and Flavonols

Quercetin, which has been thought to reduce uric acid levels, is a flavonol. There is some Quercetin in strawberries. It was with great relief we ended writing on Gout Sufferer. There was just too much information to write, that we were starting to lose hopes on it's completion!

• Modern real world testimonials to the value of strawberries in gout treatment can be read on the Internet.
  
• And for pain alleviation too.
  
• Of course you can also read that strawberries had no effect.
  
• We have also translated parts of this composition into French and Spanish to facilitate easier understanding of Uric Acid.
  
• In this way, more people will get to understand the composition.
  

STRAWBERRY TESTIMONIALS If you're looking for a natural gout remedy, and which gout sufferer isn't, all this is very interesting, but are there any real world testimonials?

The most quoted historical character who advocated strawberries for gout was the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus (1707- . He said that his strawberries-only diet had cured or alleviated his gout. Accounts vary as to what he precisely said, but there is no doubt that he thought strawberries were helpful, and in his time he was a famous and respected botanist. So he knew a lot about strawberries. But don't eat a strawberries-only diet. This is a crash diet and crash diets are now thought to probably increase gout attacks. You can easily get strawberries into a low purine gout diet. Or into a carbohydrate restricted diet, such as the Zone diet, because they are moderate on the Glycemic Index.

And because their flavonoids amounts are high, their flavonoids-to-Vitamin C ratio is pretty good which means that their Vitamin C is likely to be better absorbed and thus have a stronger therapeutic effect.

NB. The contents of this article contain medical information not medical advice. Please always discuss gout remedies with your doctor or other health care professional, before implementing any treatment.

• There is one more health positive fact about strawberries.
  
• Their proanthocyanidin (abbreviated as PCO's or OPC's) levels are high, much higher than in cherries.
  
• Some studies have shown that Vitamin C does reduce uric acid levels, which makes Vitamin C for gout a good idea.
  
• In these studies the lowest amount required to do this was 500 mg daily.
  
• It's not hard to get 500 mg of Vitamin C naturally from foods and drinks.
  

A GOUT POSITIVE NUTRITIONAL PROFILE It is true that the nutritional profile of strawberries is positive for natural gout treatment. Probably the most important fact is their high Vitamin C content, around 59 mg per 100 grams of fruit. This puts them towards the top of the high-in-Vitamin C fruits' tables. Way above cherries. They are moderately alkaline, alkaline neutral or just mildly acidic so their effect on the body's pH amounts is not likely to be much, and may be mildly positive. They contain about 91% water, are low purine and moderate on the Glycemic Index. All these facts make them a good gout food. .

Better known and researched are the anthocyanidins which have also been thought to reduce uric acid levels. Researchers have considered that it is the anthocyanidins in cherries for example, that may account for their uric acid lowering success in some small studies. The anthocyanidin profile of strawberries is not exactly the same as that of cherries, but sweet cherries and strawberries share a couple of them.

Gout is Certainly Not a Fun Condition to Have

It's a common rheumatic disease and it counts rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis among its close cousins. Figures show that some 840 people out of 100,000 are afflicted with this disease, most of them men. Just what are the causes of gout, and are there any effective ways to avoid it? More often than not, gout is a result of lifestyle choices, but there are other factors that contribute to the disease's occurrence.

Alcoholic beverages should strictly be avoided or at least restricted to an occasional glass or two. This is because alcohol has a high purine concentration and contributes in significant ways to the body's production of uric acid. Not only does it spur the body on to produce more uric acid, but it also affects the ability of the kidneys to flush out excess amounts of this substance. Plus, alcohol is fattening, and we know that surplus weight can also lead to gout.

From obesity, we move to related causes of gout, specifically dietary and food habits. There are many types of food that have large amounts of purines, or substances that play a large role in uric acid production. It's kind of disturbing to find out that most foods that are rich in protein and fat also have a high purine content. But in today's fast-paced mode of life, this is just the kind of food that we're accustomed to eating! To further reduce the risk of acquiring gout, one should also refrain from taking in too much organ meats or sweetbread (including heart, kidney, and liver delicacies). Some seafoods, such as scallops, mackerel, and mussels are also dietary no-no's because these too are rich in purines. Intake of high-fat dairy foods should also be curtailed, including comfort foods like ice cream, butter, and cheese.

Gout can also be caused by certain medications, such as thiazide diuretic drugs, which are prescribed for heart failure and hypertension. Figures show that the majority of people who use this kind of drug acquired gout later in life. Other drugs that may contribute to a higher risk for gout forum immunosuppressants (such as cyclosporine), low doses of aspirin, and pyrazinamide, an anti-tuberculosis agent. Gout is also strangely related to organ transplantation. Heart and liver transplants can heighten the risk, but perhaps it's a kidney transplant that poses the greater risk, since renal problems can prevent the elimination of uric acid sources body. It was with keen interest that we got about to writing on Purine Content. Hope you read and appreciate it with equal interest. .

Condition Called Hyperuricemia is One of the Causes of Gout

This is when the body fails to eliminate excess amounts of uric acid. Some people are born with a genetic metabolic defect in which they not only produce extra uric acid, but they fail to excrete it efficiently as well. This is bad because excessive amounts of uric acid will lead to the formation of uric crystals, which will then become embedded in the joints and the tissue surrounding them. These crystals are also known as tophi, and they are the cause of joint inflammation and pain. Gout usually appears in the joint of the big toe, but it can also become manifest in joints in the ankles, feet, knees, wrists, hands, and elbows. Pictures of a gouty toe almost always show the same characteristics: swelling and redness, and as you can probably imagine, pain.

Number of Health Problems Have Been Shown to Lead to Gout

Certain cancers or diseases involving blood-manufacturing organs are specifically cited, such as lymphoma and leukemia. A skin disease called psoriasis has likewise been linked to the emergence of gout in a number of people. And over-exposure to lead does not only cause birth defects and blood poisoning, it can lead to gout as well. Another all too common health problem among many people, especially those in the West, is obesity. Being overweight can cause not only gout, but other diseases as well, including diabetes, hypertension, and other forms of arthritis.

You may or may not have heard about the MSM and gout connection, but MSM is being used for many conditions. Many of them are conditions that affect the joints much like gout does. MSM stands for Methyl Sulfonyl Methane - a natural sulfur compound. Though this is much like traditional sulfur, you will be glad to know that the smell normally associated with sulfur is not present when you use this is a natural remedy for gout. There are on-going studies on this treatment, but it is safe to try for the most part and usually inexpensive.

At the Same Time, It can Help With More Than Gout

MSM can aid in vitamin absorption, and you may find additional benefits are strong and healthy nails and hair. You may even find that taking it as recommended will help give your immune system a small boost. MSM also helps to reduce inflammation and pain and aids the liver in processing toxins. To err is human, to forgive is divine. So we would indeed deem you to be divine if you forgive us for any misunderstandings that may arise in this article on Purine Foods.

MSM is often found in some of the foods that we eat, though in rather small doses. It comes in food items like milk, which probably has the highest amounts of MSN of all food sources. It is also in some meats and fish, and many fresh fruits and vegetables. Some of this is lost when the foods are cooked, so meats might fall off the list as a possible source of MSM, especially if you're currently avoiding high purine foods. Thankfully, MSM is also available as a supplement in powered form, which you can add to drinks, or in capsule form that you can take like a pill. Alternatively, there are creams you can purchase that contain MSM, which can be applied to the effected joints.

What MSM and Gout Have in Common are Your Joints and Connective Tissues

This substance is works to aid the body in building or repairing many essential proteins and some collagen that keeps skin and tissues supple and joints moving. It helps with the overall health of your joints, tendons and other similar tissues in the body.

• Gout is an extremely painful disease and can cause immense discomfort apart from complications like kidney stones and the like.
  
• Unfortunately, there is no established cure for gout.
  
• The best means of thwarting gout attacks is prevention.
  
• These insidious attacks occur when you will be least expecting it, sometimes while you are asleep.
  

Purine is a Normal Constituent of the Human Diet

It is metabolized within the body to produce uric acid, which then reacts with the sodium ions present in the system to give mono-sodium urate (MSU). The production of MSU rises with the internal pH of the body. At the biological pH, the MSU exists in the form of insoluble crystals that deposit on the joints of the body. The bodys defense mechanism recognizes these accumulated crystals as foreign invasions and combats them with white blood cells called neutrophils. As a result of this immunologic reaction, sudden inflammation and rubor of the skin develops, along with heat production and tenderness of the affected regions. This is accompanied by excruciating pain as the bodys defense mechanism fights the invading MSU crystals. The symptoms include malaise, fever, chills, increased heart rate, and high blood pressure.

Gout Attacks Typically Set in Between Midnight and 2 a.M

And are more frequent during the spring. The initial attacks may wane automatically within a few days even without treatment, as the crystals become encrusted by certain proteins that prevent their recognition by the immune system as non-self particles. However, gout may resurface even after years, and in due course of time the frequency of the attacks gradually increases. Ultimately, the problem becomes a persistent one and in chronic cases, can cause permanent distortion of the affected joints.

The most commonly afflicted areas of gout include the big toes and the joints in feet, ankles, knees, hands, wrists, arms, elbows, and bursas, the ligaments and tendons around these joints; and, in extreme cases, shoulders, necks, hips and spine.

Gout is a Problem that in Most of the Cases Occurs Suddenly

That is why it is really hard to prevent it. Doctors can only advice for a low alcohol intake and a healthy diet. Only after its occurrence specialists are able to prescribe a treatment. Treatment for gout is prescribed in order to ease the symptoms that usually consist of extreme pain in the affected joints.

The Second Type of Gout is Chronic Gout

In these cases treatment is prescribed in order to prevent acute gout attack from recurring. In many of the cases this means decreasing the uric acid levels. The recommended treatments are xanthine oxidase inhibitors and uricosuric agents. Xanthine oxidase inhibitors such as allopurinol lead to decrease of uric acid levels in the organism. Uricosuric agents are medicines that help kidneys to eliminate the excess of the uric acid produced by the body. As uricosuric agents we can mention probenecid or sulfinpyrazone.

Colchine is the Alternative for Nsaids

This medicine has been used to treat gout for years. It has benefic effects on reducing and even eliminating the pain caused by gout. Even so this treatment is not recommended for persons who can not tolerate side effects such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting or abdominal cramps. Colchine is a treatment with benefic effects because it reduces the deposit of uric acid crystals that cause inflammations. An intake of colchine within 24 to 48 hours of the onset of the gout symptoms is believed to have the awaited effect.

The third way of treating gout is the use of corticosteroids such as prednisone, prednisolone and triamcinolone. This treatment is prescribed for patients that can not take NSAIDs or colchine, being the third alternative in treating gout. Massage treatment helps animals too effects after steroids are injected into the joint muscle. Afterwards pain is locally relieved.

We Know Two Types of Gout

Acute gout is treated using different medicines such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), colchines and corticosteroids. The NSAIDs are drugs that help easing the pain and have an anti-inflammatory effect. As NSAIDs we have to mention indomethacin, ketoprofen, oxaprozin, diclofenac, ibuprofen, etodolac, naproxen and sulindac. This type of treatment has proved to be the best in preventing gout attacks and easing the symptoms. NSAIDs are recommended for as long as the patient has symptoms and are taken by mouth three or four times a day. NSAIDs assure the easing of symptoms by suppressing the production of fatty acids called prostaglandins that cause the inflammation and pain in gout sufferers.

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