Gout is a common and complex form of arthritis that can affect anyone. It's characterized by sudden, severe attacks of pain, swelling, redness and tenderness in one or more joints, most often in the big toe.
If you experience several gout attacks each year, or if your gout attacks are less frequent but particularly painful, your doctor may recommend medication to reduce your risk of gout-related complications.
Eating to manage gout includes moderate portions of healthy foods. It's like other healthy diets, including the Mediterranean diet, the Mayo Clinic diet, and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, also called DASH diet.
Accessed Dec. 23, 2021. FitzGerald JD, et al. 2020 American College of Rheumatology guideline for the management of gout. Arthritis Care & Research. 2020; doi:10.1002/acr.24180. Medical review (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. Jan. 22, 2021.
Gout happens when a substance in the blood called uric acid builds up and forms crystals in a joint. Diuretics may raise the risk of gout because they cause you to urinate more.
Gout is due to buildup of uric acid and you can get it in almost any joint in your body. My family tends to have it in their knees, ankles & toes. My husband has his uric acid level checked yearly. Medications that work for him are Allopurinol as a preventative (prescription) daily.
Accessed Dec. 23, 2021. FitzGerald JD, et al. 2020 American College of Rheumatology guideline for the management of gout. Arthritis Care & Research. 2020; doi:10.1002/acr.24180. Medical review (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. Jan. 22, 2021.
ANSWER: Gout is a common form of inflammatory arthritis that can flare up quickly, causing intense pain. Successfully treating gout involves a combination of lifestyle changes and medication.
Accessed Dec. 23, 2021. FitzGerald JD, et al. 2020 American College of Rheumatology guideline for the management of gout. Arthritis Care & Research. 2020; doi:10.1002/acr.24180. Medical review (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. Jan. 22, 2021.
Gout is considered a form of arthritis, and a rheumatologist is the specialist to best follow this. Having your medical team all informed of different conditions you are dealing with will make a better overall outcome for you.
