Gout to begin with, is a painful form of arthritis. That is, when the body has extra uric acid, sharp crystals may form in the big toe or other joints, thereby causing episodes of swelling and pain often called gout attacks. Gout mostly affects the big toe but, in some cases, it also affects the joints, which include the knee, ankle, foot, hand, wrist and elbow.

What causes gout?

After the consumption of certain foods and drinks, there is a breakdown of a chemical called purines which causes the human body to make uric acid which passes through the kidney and comes out as urine. But in some cases, this uric acid is produced in excess. When the uric acid is then in excess, uric acid crystals then concentrate in your joints causing sharp pains.

Don’t be scared though, because gout can be treated.

How is gout treated?

1. Relaxation the affected area

at this stage, what you need to do is, when you feel the gout pain avoid putting pressure on the affected place. Simply get your feet off the ground and slightly elevate it in other reduce the swelling.

2. Stay Hydrated

it is good to note that, uric acid levels increase when the human body is dehydrated, which will obviously increase your pain. The best way to reduce acidity levels and bring down inflammation is to drink lots of water. Staying hydrated will help flush out toxins and to lubricate your joints.

3. Loose some weight

Excess weight can also lead to gouts. If you are over weight and have gouts, it is advisable to lose some weight so that the pressure from your body to your feet won’t be much of a problem and it will not cause any swelling.

4. Use the cold compress method

cold will actually be of help to relieve you from gout pain. All you need to do is, get an ice pack or put ice in a plastic bag, the wrap it on the affected area using a cloth or bandage.Do this for 20 to 30 minutes.

5. Take anti-inflammatory drugs

incase you try the above home remedies and the pain is not gone, it is advisable to take anti-inflammatory drugs that you are comfortable with. It could be ibuprofen.

How to prevent gout
  1. Avoid alcohol at all cost
  2. Avoid eating red meat
  3. Also avoid eating organic meat
  4. There are actually some medications whose side effects are give gouts. When you realize this you immediately have to stop the medication.