Introduction to gout
Gout is a general term for a variety of conditions caused by a buildup of uric acid. This buildup usually affects your feet. Gout is a very painful form of arthritis caused by crystals that form in and around the joints.
An attack of gout can occur suddenly, often waking you up in the middle of the night with the sensation that your big toe is on fire.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF GOUT
1. Intense joint pain: Gout usually affects the large joint of your big toe, but it can occur in any joint. Other commonly affected joints include the ankles, knees, elbows, wrists and fingers. The pain is likely to be most severe within the first four to 12 hours after it begins.
2. Lingering discomfort: After the most severe pain subsides, some joint discomfort may last from a few days to a few weeks. Later attacks are likely to last longer and affect more joints.
3. Inflammation and redness: The affected joint or joints become swollen, tender, warm and red.
4. Limited range of motion: As gout progresses, you may not be able to move your joints normally.
CAUSES OF GOUT
1. chronic kidney disease
2. long-term use of medications that affect how well your kidneys can remove urate from your body.
3. when urate crystals accumulate in your joint, causing the inflammation and intense pain of a gout attack.
RISK FACTORS OF GOUT
1. Diet: Eating a diet rich in meat and seafood and drinking beverages sweetened with fruit sugar (fructose) increase levels of uric acid, which increase your risk of gout.
2. Obesity: If you're overweight, your body produces more uric acid and your kidneys have a more difficult time eliminating uric acid.
3. Medical conditions: Certain diseases and conditions increase your risk of gout. These include untreated high blood pressure and chronic conditions such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and heart and kidney diseases.
4. Certain medications: The use of thiazide diuretics — commonly used to treat hypertension — and low-dose aspirin also can increase uric acid levels. So can the use of anti-rejection drugs prescribed for people who have undergone an organ transplant.
5. Family history of gout: If other members of your family have had gout, you're more likely to develop the disease.
6. Age and sex: Gout occurs more often in men, primarily because women tend to have lower uric acid levels. Men are more likely to develop gout earlier — usually between the ages of 30 and 50 — whereas women generally develop signs and symptoms after menopause.
6. Recent surgery or trauma: Experiencing recent surgery or trauma has been associated with an increased risk of developing a gout attack.
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU HAVE GOUT
1. Make an appointment with a competent doctor or an health consultant
2. Ice and elevate the joint.
3. Drink plenty of fluids (no alcohol or sweet sodas).
4. Reduce stress, which can worsen the attack.
5. Ask friends and family to help you with daily tasks to ease stress on joints.
Treatment for gout with natural herbs
1. Ginger
Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties that relieve pain and swelling of inflammation. In addition, it stimulates the body to sweat, which helps to get rid of uric acid through sweat.
To take advantage of ginger in order to fight gout, it is sufficient to keep drinking it boiled, while it is preferable to be fresh when boiled, to drink half a cup in the morning and the other half in the evening.
2. Black cherry
Black cherry, with its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, seems to make a serious difference in fighting gout, as black cherries also have the ability to prevent the accumulation of uric acid in the body as well.
The best way to benefit from the benefits of black cherry is to consume its juice, provided it is pure and natural juice.
3. Castor oil
Castor oil can be used externally, by massaging the gout area with it, as this oil would work to break down the uric acid accumulated around the joint and thus reduce pressure on it.
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