Gout

I had a patient come in the office the other day with symptoms of gout. His response was the best I’ve heard, exclaiming in a low, rough voice, “It hurts, Doc. I think I’ve got THE GOUT!” While that patient may have been a little dramatic, gout can be just as painful and scary as he made it sound. Fortunately there are very effective treatments that help relieve your pain. So what is gout, you ask? And what can you do to make it better? Let me share a few things.
Most people don’t realize is that gout is actually a type of arthritis that can set into the joint. It becomes painful because the salts of uric acid start to build up in the cartilage, and ultimately they tear apart the tissue. To make matters worse, any damage that’s done to cartilage is irreversible. Sounds awful, right? Luckily, as I mentioned before, there are very effective treatments that can relieve your symptoms.
The best kind of treatment will always be prevention, and the same is the case for gout. Eating a healthy diet has numerous health benefits, one of which is a decrease in the chances for gout. Make sure to steer clear of red meat, rich sauces, shellfish, and protein compounds such as lentils and beans. Drinking the recommended 8 glasses of water is also very helpful, as it flushes waste out of your symptom. If you are experiencing symptoms of gout (red, swollen, pain, and stiffness in the joint), make an appointment to see Dr. Dustin or Dr. Spencer. Often times, an injection with special medication can instantly relieve your pain, and oral medications can also be prescribed to decrease your symptoms. Make an appointment today and find out what we can do to treat your gout.