Recently Diagnosed With Gout? What Can You Do To Reduce Foot And Ankle Pain?
Posted on: 9 May 2017
If you've recently been diagnosed with gout, a condition in which uric acid can build up in the bloodstream, causing the formation of painful and potentially debilitating uric acid crystals in your foot and ankle joints, you may be wondering what you can do to reduce this pain. Lower body joint pain can significantly restrict your movement, leaving you unable to exercise and therefore at greater risk of gaining weight and aggravating your gout even further. What can you do to begin working toward a healthier life? Read on to learn more about your gout management options going forward, as well as how you can relieve the foot and ankle pain often caused by a buildup of uric acid in the blood.
What should you do to manage your gout?
Although gout can feel (and sound) serious, many of the best treatment and management options are lifestyle and dietary changes you can make on your own.
Avoiding food and beverages that contain purine or that tend to increase the concentration of uric acid in your blood is key to reducing the frequency and severity of your gout attacks. This generally includes salty or preserved fish (like sardines or anchovies), processed meats like salami, pepperoni, sausage, and bacon, and organ meats like liver. You'll also want to avoid alcohol, as it can aggravate gout. While drinking on special occasions isn't likely to send you to the emergency room, you're also likely to notice a recurrence in your gout symptoms for a few days following alcohol consumption.
Adding other foods to your diet can also improve your body's ability to quickly process uric acid. Tart cherry juice in particular is a favorite drink among many gout sufferers. Consuming cherry juice in place of soda or alcohol can go a long way toward curbing the uric acid in your blood.
How can you quickly reduce or eliminate the foot pain caused by gout?
In addition to changing your diet habits to avoid the buildup of uric acid crystals in the first place, there are some steps you can take to gain more immediate relief of the foot pain you may be experiencing.
One is to quickly apply cold pressure to the area. Doing so can help reduce swelling and minimize the throbbing sensation that can accompany your gout attacks. You're likely to also benefit from an anti-inflammatory medication (like naproxen sodium), although you'll want to confirm with your physician whether it's safe for you to take this medication whenever and wherever gout strikes.
For more information, visit sites like http://familyfootanklephysicians.com/.
Share