This may be the same question that millions may also be asking endlessly especially when in pain – what to do when gout attacks? A gout attack is one horrifying experience that people who have it wouldn’t want to experience ever again. The intensity of pain as described by some is similar to child birth. That’s why immediate pain relief is being cried for by all patients while prevention is the next focus.
Gout occurs when there is accumulation of uric acid crystals in the joints. Uric acid is the result of the natural metabolism of the body. Normally, our body neutralizes and eliminates them through urine. But when the elimination process is being interfered by reasons of heredity, diet, and lifestyle, this will result to a buildup of uric acids in the body which could lead to a gout attack.
Initially people would seek relief from gout attack. Gout attacks when you least expect it. Most people get awakened at night from the pain brought about by gout. So what do you do naturally when gout attacks ? The following are some immediate and effective home remedies to help you relieve from pain:
* Ice and warm water application
Ice and hot water are always available in almost all households. Applying ice on affected area for 10 minutes helps reduce the excruciating pain you experience. Note that ice can promote crystallization, so you might want to alternately apply warm water on the affected area. Applying warm water helps promote muscle relaxation, blood flow as well as pain relief on the joints.
* Cayenne pepper with Apple cider vinegar
Cayenne pepper paste is one popular pain reliever because it helps divert your attention from the pain caused by gout. It produces a warm effect when applied topically on the affected area. To make a cayenne pepper paste: just mix ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper and ½ cup of apple cider vinegar (warm). Put a small amount of paste mixture on a clean cloth and place it around the affected area. You can reapply the mixture as necessary.
* Ginger root
Another effective pain relieving remedy is ginger root. Application of ginger root paste on the affected area had already helped thousands of gout patients. You could also soak the affected area with a small amount of warm water mixed with 1/3 cup of ground ginger for 30 minutes. Rinse thereafter. This will greatly help in reducing the pain brought by gout. Once relieved from the pain, re-experiencing it is the next thing that should be stopped. Having suffered from a gout attack makes you most likely to suffer it again. So how do you stop gout from reoccurring? The following are some ways to help you from preventing another gout attack.
* Medicines
Medicines for gout aim to reduce the pain and the uric acid level in the body, which is the main cause of gout, to stop it from recurring. Also, managing gout is a long term therapy, which means if you depend on the medicine alone to manage your gout, you will be highly risked to exposure to its long term side effects. Therefore, it is not advisable to depend on medicine alone. You also need to do a few changes on your diet and lifestyle.
* Avoiding foods and beverages that has high in purine content
Uric acids are also formed from the breakdown of purine. And when you get too much uric acid that your body can not flush it out, it will form uric acid crystals in your joints and other organs. Avoiding foods and beverages that have high purine content would lessen your risk of having uric acid build up in your body.
* Drink plenty of water
Drinking 8-10 glasses of water a day helps keep you off from another gout attack. As water helps eliminate and flush out excess uric acid from the body.
* Cherries
Cherries are widely talked about to lessen the impact of gout. They are known to be one of the top natural remedies for gout. Eating at least 10-20 cherries a day can help you from the reoccurrence of gout attack since it reduces the uric acid level in the body.
* Exercise
Low impact exercises are advisable for those having gout because they are easy and wouldn’t strain the joints. Exercise such as tai chi and yoga are advisable. These exercises would not just reduce and maintain an ideal body weight but it will also promote blood and oxygen circulation and it keeps a healthy immune system. Exercise helps maintain a good overall wellness.
So what do you do when gout attacks? If any of those natural remedies won’t work for whatever reason, simply take medication to stop the pain. There may be levels of pains, thus for those that are really, really bad, medications must be prescribed by your doctor. Think of prevention thereafter.
