Gout is a form of arthritis that affects the joints and can cause severe pain, swelling, and inflammation. It’s caused by an excess of uric acid in the body, which forms crystals in the joints. While gout cannot be cured, there are ways to prevent it from occurring or reduce its severity if you already suffer from it.
How can gout be prevented?
Healthy diet
To avoid the painful effects of gout flares, it’s best to stay away from meals with a high purine content, such as red meats, organ meat, and seafood. Additionally, drinking alcohol should be done in moderation, especially beer and hard liquors.
Self-management skills
Join a self-management education class, which helps people with arthritis and other chronic conditions,
including gout, understand how arthritis affects their lives and increase their confidence in controlling their symptoms and living well.
Start Exercising.
Every little bit of movement matters, so don’t be afraid to start with any activity that you feel comfortable
doing, even if it’s just a leisurely stroll. Walking, swimming, or biking at a moderate pace are all great options for low-impact exercise.
Check your weight.
By shedding excess weight, overweight or obese individuals can take the pressure off of their joints,
particularly those which bear a large amount of body weight such as hips and knees. Reaching or sustaining an appropriate weight will lessen pain, boost functioning and slow down the development of arthritis.
What are the treatments?
When it comes to gout medication, you have two options: combating the inflammatory pain of an attack or decreasing the amount of uric acid in your blood. Depending on how often and severely you experience gout symptoms as well as any other existing health issues, one can be determined to be more suitable than the other.
