What is Gout
Gout is painful swelling that can happen in some of your joints. Gout is a type of arthritis. This condition is caused by having too much uric acid in your body. Uric acid is a chemical that is made when your body breaks down substances called purines.
If your body has too much uric acid, sharp crystals can form and build up in your joints. This causes pain and swelling.
Gout attacks can happen quickly and be very painful (acute gout). Over time, the attacks can affect more joints and happen more often (chronic gout).
Follow these instructions at home:
During a gout attack
- If
directed, put ice on the painful area:
- Put ice in a plastic bag.
- Place a towel between your skin and the bag.
- Leave the ice on for 20 minutes, 2–3 times a day.
- Rest the joint as much as possible. If the joint is in your leg, you may be given crutches to use.
- Raise (elevate) the painful joint above the level of your heart as often as you can.
- Drink enough fluids to keep your pee (urine) pale yellow.
- Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your doctor.
- Do notdrive or use heavy machinery while taking prescription pain medicine.
- Follow instructions from your doctor about what you can or cannot eat and drink.
Return to your normal activities as told by your doctor. Ask your doctor what activities are safe for you.
Avoiding future gout attacks
- Follow
a low-purine diet as told by a specialist (dietitian) or your
doctor. Avoid foods and drinks that have a lot of purines, such as:
- Liver.
- Kidney.
- Anchovies.
- Asparagus.
- Herring.
- Mushrooms
- Mussels.
- Beer.
- Limit alcohol intake to no more than 1 drink a day for nonpregnant women and 2 drinks a day for men. One drink equals 12 oz of beer, 5 oz of wine, or 1½ oz of hard liquor.
- Stay at a healthy weight or lose weight if you are overweight. If you want to lose weight, talk with your doctor. It is important that you do notlose weight too fast.
- Start or continue an exercise plan as told by your doctor.
- Drink enough fluids to keep your pee pale yellow.
- Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your doctor.
- Keep all follow-up visits as told by your doctor. This is important.
Contact a doctor if:
- You have another gout attack.
- You still have symptoms of a gout attack after10 days of treatment.
- You have problems (side effects) because of your medicines.
- You have chills or a fever.
- You have burning pain when you pee (urinate).
- You have pain in your lower back or belly.
Get help right away if:
- You have very bad pain.
- Your pain cannot be controlled.
- You cannot pee.
