One of the most prevalent types of inflammatory arthritis is gout, which frequently results in redness, warmth, joint swelling, and extreme pain. It is brought on by an accumulation of uric acid crystals in a joint’s soft tissue. The big toe is the site of most gout attacks, although it can affect the knee, elbow, wrist, fingertips, and other joints in the foot. Gout attacks often last a few days to a few weeks, and the pain is most severe at night.
Many gout patients find it very difficult to cope with extreme gout pain. Here in this article, we are explaining some ways to reduce the pain associated with gout flares.
Consume An NSAID
Many NSAIDs like ibuprofen or naproxen can be purchased from a drug store without a doctor’s prescription. You can use any one of these NSAIDs to relieve your gout pain temporarily. You should take care not to consume aspirin tablets or any medications with acetylsalicylic acid as they can make your gout pain worse.
NSAIDs have severe side effects like higher blood pressure, so use them only if the gout pain is unbearable.
Consume Gout Medication On Time
Your doctor may have prescribed medications for gout attacks. You have to depend on these prescribed medications rather than consume NSAIDs. Some prescription drugs for gout include colchicines, prednisolone, etc.
Apply Ice Or Cold Water To The Joint
You can apply ice packs to the gout-affected joint to get relief from pain. Doing this can reduce inflammation and pain signals.
Elevate Your Affected Joint
Mostly gout affects the big toe joint in your leg. If that is the case, raise your leg on a thick pillow or a footstool. Raising your affected joint can reduce the pain to some extent.
Hydration Is Important
You may know that uric acid is the main culprit for causing gout. If your body system has enough water, the uric acid produced will be flushed through urine. So it is important to drink eight glasses of water a day to keep you hydrated and reduce the worsening of gout.
Instead of water, don’t consume sugary drinks like sodas or sports drinks. Doing so will only make your gout worse.
If you are having severe gout pain, it is better to see your doctor as soon as possible. None of the above-mentioned methods will be effective for severe gout pain. If necessary, your doctor may provide corticosteroid injections into your gout-affected joint.