The severe joint pain and swelling caused by gout in the big toe or elsewhere tends to strike in the middle of the night and last for days. If you’ve experienced a gout attack, you’ll want to avoid a future flare-up if at all possible. Indeed, patients who’ve had gout often ask our experienced London podiatry team how to reduce the chances of the problem coming back.
Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis with many risk factors. Some are beyond people’s control, such as having a family history of the condition, being a man or being middle-aged or older. However other risk factors can be mitigated by making healthy lifestyle changes.
Excess Uric Acid Can Lead to Gout
People develop gout as a result of hyperuricemia, i.e. high levels of uric acid (a waste product produced during digestion) in their bloodstream.
Uric acid crystals can easily build up around joints in the legs and feet, especially the joint at the base of the big toe, as blood flow is weaker in the lower limbs than in areas closer to the heart. White blood cells – the body’s defenders – surround these sharp crystals and try to destroy them, which leads to the agony and inflammation of a gout attack.
Gout is treated with oral anti-inflammatories, steroid injections and medicine to lower uric acid levels. But it has the potential to become a recurrent, long-term condition, especially if you ignore the cause of the problem.
Chronic gout can lead to joint damage and deformities, as well as prolonged periods of pain.
Many Gout Attacks Are Preventable
You might worry that another attack is bound to happen at some stage, but that’s not necessarily the case. For example, Harvard Health Publishing points out that ‘more than three-quarters of gout cases affecting men might be completely avoidable’. The observation is based on the research findings into the health and habits of nearly 45,000 participants.
The key to avoiding flare-ups is finding ways to keep your uric acid levels down.
Tips for Guarding Against Repeated Gout Attacks
Although there’s no guaranteed method of banishing gout forever, there are a number of effective, practical steps you can take to help prevent another attack.
Avoid Certain Types of Meat and Seafood
Some foods contain large amounts of purines. When these chemical compounds are broken down by your body, your uric acid levels increase.
You’ll therefore want to avoid regularly consuming purine-rich foods such as red meat, liver, kidneys, turkey, oily fish and shellfish.
For a low-purine diet, focus instead on low-fat cheese/yoghurt, eggs, nuts, rice, leafy greens and root vegetables, berries, cherries and citrus fruits.
Avoid Alcohol and Stay Well-hydrated
Alcohol (especially beer and stout) and soft drinks sweetened with fructose are also high in purines.
You can lower your uric acid levels by avoiding those beverages and instead staying well hydrated by drinking more water and milk, both of which flush out uric acid. According to a scientific study highlighted by MedPage Today, people who drink five to eight glasses of water daily can achieve a 43% reduction in gout attacks.
Steadily Lose Excess Weight
Excess weight is linked to foot problems including gout. The heavier someone is the more strain their joints are under and the less efficient their kidneys are at removing uric acid from their bloodstream, making flare-ups more likely.
Losing extra weight steadily (as opposed to crash-dieting, which can actually increase uric acid levels) then maintaining a healthy size can help you to prevent further attacks.
Exercise Regularly and Reduce Stress
Gout puts your foot and leg joints at risk, but regular exercise will help you to protect and lubricate them and keep them flexible, notes the Arthritis Foundation.
Take care of your mental health too – stress can contribute to gout attacks by raising uric acid levels. Meditation, hobbies and volunteering are great ways to take your mind off things and relax.
Gout Treatment and Advice from Expert London Podiatrists
If you’re currently experiencing a gout attack or one has left your feet/legs feeling sore, our London podiatry experts can help you. For example, we can:
- Apply protective padding and toe shields to make feet more comfortable.
- Treat skin issues associated with gout, including calluses and ulcers caused by excess pressure and friction.
- Provide custom-made orthotics that direct pressure away from your big toes or other tender areas and improve foot function.
- Offer tailored advice about avoiding future gout attacks based on your circumstances.
Gout doesn’t have to be almost unbearable or a recurring problem – book an appointment with Feet By Pody today for specialist support.