Gout, a painful, arthritis-like condition, is caused by uric acid crystals building up in the joint, causing inflammation. An attack of acute gout often begins at night and lasts three or more days. Initially, acute attacks will occur about every four months. As attacks become more frequent, more joints may become affected. If treatment is neglected, the attacks intensify in pain and frequency and damage may become permanent.
Symptoms:
- Inflammation usually only occurs in one or two joints, typically the big toe, but sometimes also ankles and knees, hands, and elbows.[1] [2]
- Warm, red, severely painful joints, with the toe being so affected that even a bedsheet touching it is painful. [3] [4]
- Fever[5]
- Episodic repeat attacks (about half of patients) that are all or none in nature [6] [7]
Chronic gout generally affects the joints in the foot, but not to the degree of an acute gout attack. Chronic gout may develop into arthritis.
Risk factors:
- Diabetes[9]
- Family history[10]
- Male (about 95% of patients)[11] [12]
- Obesity[13]
- Poor diet[14] (historically called the “rich man’s disease” because only the wealthy could regularly consume meat.
- Some medications, especially diuretics[15]
- Some types of kidney stones[16]
- Winter[17] (lower temperatures facilitate precipitation of the uric acid crystals from the synovial fluid)
Prevention:
- Avoid alcohol[18] [19]
- Avoid high-fat foods[20] [21]
- Drink plenty of fluids[22]
- Eat adequate amounts of carbohydrates[23]
- Reduce meat consumption[24] [25]
- Reduce the consumption of foods high in uric acid (liver, herring, sardines, kidney beans, peas, mushrooms, asparagus, cauliflower)[26]
- Increase vitamin C intake[26a]
Conditions which may be confused with gout:
- Fractures
- Joint infection
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Sprains
- Trauma
Treatment:
- Acute gout
- Chronic gout
- Allopurinol
- All gout
- Drink 8-10 glasses of water per day to flush the uric acid from the kidneys.
- Avoid walking
- Take caffeine
- Eat dark-colored fruits—cherries, blackberries, purple grapes[30]
Gout can be extremely debilitating. If there is a family history of gout, it would be a great idea to increase the stockpile of OTC NSAIDs, OTC stomach acid reducers like Pepcid or Prilosec, and caffeine and dark colored berries and cherries. The herbs listed in the links below have also been successfully used for generations to treat gout.
Links to related posts:
OTC Pain Relievers
Baking Soda
Black Pepper
Caffeine
Catnip
Cayenne
Dandelion
Epsom Salts
Honeysuckle
Juniper
Parsley
Purslane
Red Raspberry
Sunflower
[1] Joseph Alton, The Survival Medicine Handbook, 2013, 395.
[2] Cynthia Koelker, Armageddon Medicine, 2012, 353.
[3] Joseph Alton, The Survival Medicine Handbook, 2013, 395.
[4] Cynthia Koelker, Armageddon Medicine, 2012, 353.
[5] Joseph Alton, The Survival Medicine Handbook, 2013, 395.
[6] Joseph Alton, The Survival Medicine Handbook, 2013, 395.
[7] Cynthia Koelker, Armageddon Medicine, 2012, 353.
[8] Joseph Alton, The Survival Medicine Handbook, 2013, 395.
[9] Joseph Alton, The Survival Medicine Handbook, 2013, 395.
[10] Cynthia Koelker, Armageddon Medicine, 2012, 353.
[11] Joseph Alton, The Survival Medicine Handbook, 2013, 395.
[12] The Ship’s Medicine Chest, 1978, 197.
[13] Joseph Alton, The Survival Medicine Handbook, 2013, 395.
[14] Cynthia Koelker, Armageddon Medicine, 2012, 353.
[15] Cynthia Koelker, Armageddon Medicine, 2012, 353.
[16] Joseph Alton, The Survival Medicine Handbook, 2013, 395.
[17] Cynthia Koelker, Armageddon Medicine, 2012, 353.
[18] Joseph Alton, The Survival Medicine Handbook, 2013, 395.
[19] Cynthia Koelker, Armageddon Medicine, 2012, 355.
[20] Joseph Alton, The Survival Medicine Handbook, 2013, 395.
[21] Cynthia Koelker, Armageddon Medicine, 2012, 355.
[22] Cynthia Koelker, Armageddon Medicine, 2012, 355.
[23] Joseph Alton, The Survival Medicine Handbook, 2013, 395.
[24] Joseph Alton, The Survival Medicine Handbook, 2013, 395.
[25] Cynthia Koelker, Armageddon Medicine, 2012, 355.
[26] Joseph Alton, The Survival Medicine Handbook, 2013, 395.
[26a] HK Choi, et al., Vitamin C Intake and the Risk of Gout in Men: A Prospective Study,
Archives of Internal Medicine, 2009, Vol 169 No
5,https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/414828
(accessed 2 February 2022).
[27] Cynthia Koelker, Armageddon Medicine, 2012, 355.
[28] Cynthia Koelker, Armageddon Medicine, 2012, 355.
[29] Cynthia Koelker, Armageddon Medicine, 2012, 355.
[30] Cynthia Koelker, Armageddon Medicine, 2012, 357.
08.24.21
I first had a gout attack about 25 years ago. Doctor gave me colchicine, which had very little effect. The I got prednisone which knocked it out overnight. Now I use Allopurinol which keeps the gout at bay. I keep prednisone and/or prednisolone on hand, just in case.
ReplyDeleteI've had only 2-3 attacks since my initial attack, but I'm prepared.
Those steroids are very precious, aren't they?
ReplyDeleteYou said a mouthful, Jennifer. VERY Precious now, perhaps impossible to get later. Not to mention long term secondary issues from steroid use.
A lot of natural gout treatments support the kidneys and liver functions that help the body eliminate excess uric acids and such.
Apple cider vinegar, nettle teas, dandelion teas, ginger tea and topical compresses show some inflammation soothing nature.
I can grow and or make these, not so much steroids.
However, step ONE is stop hurting your body. Like a lot of diabetes losing weight allows the natural systems of the body to recover and stabilize. Homeostasis's is designed into our bodies.
Lose weight, IMPROVE your Hydration as elimination systems DON'T WORK when you dehydrated, eat a better diet with meat as a side dish instead of the bulk of the calories, avoid excess alcohol drinking.
Pain control has always been a problem though out human history. Wild lettuce and willow teas help.