Gout Flare Ups: What Triggers Them and What You Can Do

Many people know gout from a joint that suddenly becomes very painful, swollen, and red. According to the NHS, gout happens when there is too much uric acid in the blood, so crystals form around the joints.

The symptoms

• Sudden, very severe joint pain, most often in the big toe.
• It can also affect other joints in the feet, ankles, hands, wrists, elbows, or knees.
• The skin over the joint feels hot, swollen, and red.

Who is more at risk

Gout is more common in men, especially as they get older, and sometimes runs in families. The risk is also higher for people who:

• Are overweight.
• Drink alcohol often.
• Have been through the menopause.
• Take diuretics or blood pressure medicines of the ACE inhibitor group.
• Have high cholesterol or blood pressure, kidney problems, or diabetes.

What triggers an attack

The NHS lists several possible triggers:

• An illness with a high temperature.
• Drinking too much alcohol or eating a very large meal.
• Not drinking enough, leading to dehydration.
• An injury to a joint.
• Certain medicines.

Easing an attack at home

• Take any medicine you have been prescribed as soon as the attack starts.
• Rest the joint and raise the affected limb.
• Cool it with an ice pack or frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel, for up to 20 minutes at a time.
• Drink plenty of water, unless your doctor has told you otherwise.
• Keep bedclothes off the painful joint at night, and avoid putting pressure on it.

The usual medicines

For an attack, doctors usually give an anti inflammatory medicine of the NSAID group, such as ibuprofen. If the pain and swelling do not improve, a doctor may give steroids as tablets or an injection.

For people who have attacks often or have high uric acid levels, a doctor may prescribe a medicine that lowers uric acid. It is taken every day, including when there are no symptoms. Do not stop it on your own just because the joint no longer hurts.

Habits that help

• Cut down on sugary drinks and snacks.
• Limit alcohol and keep a few alcohol free days each week.
• Drink enough water to avoid dehydration.
• Eat a healthy diet. Your doctor can give you a list of foods to limit.

When to see a doctor

See a doctor if you have symptoms like these for the first time, or if your usual treatment is no longer helping. Get help urgently if the joint pain and swelling are getting worse, you have a very high temperature, or you feel sick and cannot eat, as this can be a sign of an infected joint.

A Coapotek pharmacist can help check whether any medicine you take could be triggering your gout.

Sources

1. NHS. Gout.