More than 2 million Americans suffer from gout, according to the Arthritis Foundation. An attack of gout occurs when excess uric acid is deposited in the tissues of the body, typically in the joints of the toes. The first symptom of gout is often a swelling and severe pain in the big toe following a trauma or illness. Gout treatment focuses on curing acute attacks, relieving pain, preventing future attacks and minimizing the risk of complications.
Instructions
1. Visit your doctor to have a sample of fluid removed from your joint and checked for uric acid crystals. This is the only accurate way to diagnose gout, and a correct diagnosis is essential to treatment.
2. Avoid alcohol, foods high in purines and the use of diuretics. According to the Arthritis Foundation, all of these may increase the risk of gout occurrence and decrease the effectiveness of treatment strategies.
3. Increase your consumption of dairy products to cure foot gout. According to the Mayo Clinic, including low-fat dairy products in your daily diet will help treat and prevent gout attacks.
4. Lose weight to cure foot gout by reducing the levels of urate in your blood. However, rapid weight loss may temporarily raise levels of uric acid in the body, thereby triggering an attack of gout.
5. Increase your daily intake of fluid to help dilute uric acid in your urine and blood and flush out your kidneys. Water is ideal, but any noncaffeinated beverage is effective, according to the University of California, San Francisco.
6. Take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, corticosteroids or colchicine to reduce inflammation and relieve pain. Aspirin should not be used to treat foot gout. Report any side effects, such as bleeding or stomach pain, to your doctor immediately. Colchicine is prescribed to treat existing attacks of gout and prevent future attacks.
7. Try a urate-lowering medication, such as probenecid or allopurinal, to prevent attacks by controlling urate levels in the blood. Probenecid helps flush excess uric acid through the urinary tract, while allopurinol decreases the formation of uric acid in the body.
8. Use a cane or other supportive device to keep weight off the affected foot and speed recovery. Most insurance plans cover the use of supportive devices during treatment for gout. Ask your doctor if a cane would be beneficial in your specific case.
9. Apply ice packs to the sore joint to reduce inflammation and pain. Elevating the swollen joint above the level of your heart is also effective at reducing swelling and inflammation.
10. Try alternative therapies if your gout fails to respond to traditional treatments. The Mayo Clinic states that coffee, cherries and vitamin C supplements have all shown beneficial effects in treating gout.
Tags: uric acid, foot gout, your doctor, acid body, Arthritis Foundation