Gout is an inflammatory condition affecting joints in the body, especially the joint in the big toe. As a form of arthritis, individuals who suffer from gout experience pain, swelling, inflammation and warmth due to uric acid crystals settling into the joints. Risk factors for excessive amounts of uric acid in the body include being male; eating purine-rich foods such as organ meat; alcohol intake and medications containing hydrochlorothiazide to control blood pressure. Gout attacks may come and go and treating the condition with medications helps keep the symptoms under control. Home treatment includes dietary and lifestyle changes that help treat gout.
Dietary Changes
The body converts purine into uric acid in the body for removal by the kidneys. Commonly eaten foods high in purine include organ meats, anchovies, asparagus, mushrooms and consommé. If the body converts the purines into uric acid, but the kidneys cannot secrete the increase adequately, the uric acid in the blood forms crystals. The crystals the settle into the joints, causing a painful gout attack. Cutting back or eliminating purine-rich foods form the diet will help decrease the possibility of gout. In addition to increasing fluid intake and decreasing high-purine foods, other dietary changes will help treat gout. Decreasing sugar in the diet, eating complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, and increasing beans in the diet will help control obesity and decrease effects of gout.
Fluid Intake
Increasing fluid intake, especially drinking adequate amounts of water, helps to eliminate excessive amount of uric acid from the body. Drinking eight or more glasses of water each day will help with eliminating the excess, according to MayoClinic.com. In addition to increasing fluid intake, an individual suffering from gout needs to avoid alcohol intake. Alcohol, especially beer, increases the risk of a gout attack because it interferes with the uric acid elimination.
Medications
Taking over-the-counter medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, also referred to as NSAIDs, will help treat gout attacks. NSAIDs, such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen relieve the painful swelling and inflammation associated with a gout attack. Initially, the physician may prescribe a high dosage of the medicine and follow it with a smaller dose to prevent any further gout attacks, according to MayoClinic.com. Side effects of these medications include stomach distress, including pain and nausea, bleeding and ulcers.
