Michoud Pharmacy Tips to Treat and Prevent Gout

Gout is an form of arthritis—and is excruciatingly painful, most patients can’t even bear the weight of anything. Often at night patients endure major throbbing pain, turning the skin red-hot and leaving the affected joint swollen and tender for 5 to 10 days. Gout is the most prevalent form of inflammatory arthritis. It occurs 7 to 9 times more often in men than women—every year striking an estimated 3.4 million American men older than age 40.

Here are some tips that can help:

• Take ibuprofen, it works best with inflammation
• Avoid aspirin or acetaminophen, Aspirin can actually make gout worse by inhibiting excretion of uric acid
• Avoid sugary drinks, men who drank 2 or more sugary sodas soft drinks each day increased their risked of gout by 85%
• Consume some herbal teas, sarsaparilla, yarrow, rose hip, and peppermint teas is recommended 
• Drink coffee, risk of gout was 40% lower for men who drank 2 to 4 cups of coffee a day.
• Beware of fad diets, stay away from fad diets, which are notorious for triggering gout attacks.

When experiencing a gout attack, it’s not an experience you’ll likely forget. The sudden, throbbing pain may have woken you up in the middle of the night or even send you to the ER.

Some will go months or even years without having another gout attack—or may never have another one again.

Other people will begin to experience flare-ups regularly. They can become frequent and long-lasting. Chronic gout also causes permanent joint damage.

There’s no way of knowing what your future with gout will look like, so it’s worth your time to make changes that can help you avoid another painful attack.

Adjust your diet. Limit foods that contain a high level of a substance called purines. Which includes:

• • Meat, especially game meats like venison or organ meats like liver
  • Seafood
  • Lentils and dried beans
  • Certain vegetables such as asparagus, spinach, mushrooms, and green peas

Talk to your doctor about the best medicines for you. Types will depend on how well your kidneys work, with possible side effects, and other health issues.