The pain caused by gout is one of the most severe and disabling pains known to medicine. The sudden and unpredicatable nature of the joint discomfort is enough to - quite literally - bring sufferers to a halt. The pages on this site will lead you through the most up to date tips and tricks for gout treatment.
You'll find information about diet, pain symptoms and gout pain treatment.
Gout is a misunderstood malady. Despite the intense pain that it can
bring, it is a condition that is rarely makes the glossy pages of a
magazine. If you are ever personally hit with the sudden onset of gout,
classically (50% of the time) seen as a sudden and excruciating pain in
the big toe, you will have a newly found interest in the following
treatment information.
Gout pain can be truly a nightmare to deal with and treatment needs to
be available quickly. The conventional gout pain relief options will cause
significant side effects in many people. Fresh fruit makes us feel good
and treatment by eating cherries or drinking their juice has been shown
to relieve the hell of gout pain. Will "cherry-power" treatment work
for you?
What causes gout? It can often be difficult to get a clear answer. Some say it's just bad luck, others relate the pain to the persons diet or to alcohol intake. Is gout pain caused by dietary intake?
How is gout diagnosed? What steps does a doctor need to take before
making the diagnosis? The assessment of a gout patient is not difficult
and treatment is usually rapid in its action. This page outlines the
simple rules and guidelines that apply for gout diagnosis.
How does what you eat cause gout? Can gout really be triggered by diet
or is it possible that you can protect yourself from the problem by
changing your diet? Can diet change work as a joint pain treatment? How
does alcohol come into it? Can a high intake of alcohol really trigger
gout pain? Read on below and be prepared for a surprise! Discover
natural treatment options for an easing gout diet .
You should remember that gout usually occurs in 'attacks'. An attack usually develops quickly over a few hours and can require quick treatment if a prolonged spell of pain is to be avoided. Anattack often causes severe pain in one joint. The base of the big toe is the most commonly affected joint. Walking can be very painful and even the weight of bedclothes can hurt. Many patients gain relief by using a special tent to protect their foot. This is a simple treatment device designed to lift the bed clothes away from the painful foot at night.
Once the affected joint is in the recovery phase then many patients find that treatment with topical creams or lotions are helpful in getting completely back to normal.
However, don't forget that any joint can be affected. Sometimes two or more joints are involved at the same time. The affected joints usually swell up, and the nearby skin may look red and inflamed.
If left untreated, a gout attack may last several days, but treatment usually resolves the pain completely within 7-10 days. Less severe attacks can occur which may be mistaken at first for other forms of arthritis. Weeks, months or even years may go by between attacks. Some people only ever have one attack.
Footware for Gout Pain Sufferers
Although a gout attack can be very painful, it is uncommon for it to cause other problems even if it is not treated. Joint damage may occur if you have recurring attacks - so do seek treatment early.
In a few people, uric acid crystals form kidney stones. Sometimes the
crystals form bumps (tophi) under the skin. These are usually harmless
and painless, but sometimes form in awkward places such as at the end of
fingers.
You can read a lot more about this on the other gout related pages of
this site.