Gout, a type of arthritis, can’t be cured. However, numerous ways exist to control its symptoms.
The primary way is by changing your diet and taking doctor-prescribed medication.
Although gout is a type of arthritis, it is different from rheumatoid arthritis in its cause, its symptoms and its treatment.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune issue.
This is where the body’s immune system launches an attack on healthy tissue.
Gout is caused by too much uric acid in the blood, which then causes joints to swell.
Controlling Arthritis
You can’t control rheumatoid arthritis by diet but you can control gout flare ups with a change in diet.
Diet and changes in habits, such as reducing or eliminating alcohol consumption, reduces uric acid levels in the blood.
That, in turn, reduces symptoms.
Three primary medications are used to treat gout. They are:
- Colchicine
- Corticosteroids
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS)
Colchicine prevents the uric acid from forming crystals, which settle around joints to cause pain.
Corticosteroids are used for patients where other medications haven’t been effective and NSAIDs include things like ibuprofen and aspirin.
These reduce inflammation and pain caused from gout.
Surgical Options
Surgery is an option for gout patients in cases where they are suffering extreme pain, there is a severe
infection at the gout site or if there is a significant abnormality.
There are three types of surgeries available to reduce gout issues including:
- Joint fusion where doctors stabilize a joint by fusing it together.
- Joint replacement that include things like knee replacements where artificial structures replace affected joints.
- Tophi removal where surgeons remove tophi to relieve severe infection, abnormality or discomfort.
Most gout patients never require surgery and learn how to control gout flares with diet, medications and
natural remedies.
One easy way to relieve or prevent gout symptoms is to drink lots of water and include lemon water into your diet.
Coffee is also known to be a natural remedy for relieving gout symptoms.
