If you are one of the unlucky gout sufferers, you will attest to the horrible pain that accompanies an accute attack. At one stage I had several accute attacks during a year. I wanted to avoid the accute attacks but did not want to go the medication route nor changing my eating and drinking habits. It's a fact that the onset of an accute attack almost alway happens overnight when you are sleeping and also in the feet region . Factors like cold feet, blood pooling in the feet, etc. seems to play a role. So keeping that in mind, I worked out a little ritual to follow just before going to bed at night. This is what I did for about two years and never got an accute attack in that period (which is what I wanted to avoid):
1) Place something ( I fold a blanket) at the footend of the bed. The idea is that your feet are higher than your head when you lie down. The higher the better (probably) but don't make it uncomfortable for yourself, as long as the feet are higher than the head so gravity can help with the blood flow. This step is very important, probably most important of all.
2) Put your feet in hot water for about 10 minutes covering your ankles at least.
3) Pull on socks (obviously after drying your feet).
4) Lie on your back and lift your feet as high as you can above your head for at least 10 minutes (easily achieved when resting your feet against a wall).
That's it, worked for me for a trial period of two years. During that period I occasionally (very seldomly) experienced some stiffening of a joint but nothing as painful as to impede my mobility and definitely no accute attack.
So that was for two years but lazy as I am, I did not follow through with that ritual forever (well, apart from the blanket at the footend of the bed). I've found that taking one ibuprofen tablet (200mg) after supper every day does the trick for me. I guess I'm lucky, that this works for me.
PS: I share these tips which I found valuable to avoid an accute attack. It won't cure you of the condition
Tips to avoid an acute gout attack
My father and now my father in law, they treat high uric acid with Lupinus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lupinus
Now my father in law, takes this:
https://natufarma.com/?s=lupines
which is the dry extract in pills.
But yes, he also reduced the eating of red meat and sausages (salami).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lupinus
Now my father in law, takes this:
https://natufarma.com/?s=lupines
which is the dry extract in pills.
But yes, he also reduced the eating of red meat and sausages (salami).
Remember: [b][i]"pecunia pecuniam parere non potest"[/i][/b]
I used to suffer from gout, very painful!!
I discovered from a healthfood magazine that Cider Vinegar and Cucumber taken together might help. Being in abject pain I would try anything for a cure.
With a lot of scepticism I had a go and after a couple of days munching cucumber (a 2 inch slice worked for me) and drinking about 1/2 pint of dilute cider vinegar (twice daily) it worked. I have used this approach on a few occasions since but haven't suffered again with gout for about 10 years.
By the way in the UK you have to notify DVLA that you have gout and stop driving.
I discovered from a healthfood magazine that Cider Vinegar and Cucumber taken together might help. Being in abject pain I would try anything for a cure.
With a lot of scepticism I had a go and after a couple of days munching cucumber (a 2 inch slice worked for me) and drinking about 1/2 pint of dilute cider vinegar (twice daily) it worked. I have used this approach on a few occasions since but haven't suffered again with gout for about 10 years.
By the way in the UK you have to notify DVLA that you have gout and stop driving.
I am in the process of being diagnosed for sudden, irregular and unexplained pains and swelling of knees, ancles and feet, similar to gout. My attacs come very sudden and as a total surprise. This morning I had an appointment for a MR of an ancle, foot and toes, and 'luckily' the pain set in this morning as I swung my feet out of the bed and touched the floor, making it impossible to walk at all. I walked with crutches today, helped by 800mg Ibux (ibuprofen) and 1000mg paracetamol. 'Lucky' because I had the MR during an attack in the right foot, which may assist in giving me a dignose. Blood test have confirmed that I don't have any reumatic diseases, including high uric acid levels, so it is a mystery so far.
I did have at least one instance of gout some years ago, typically in the inner joint of the big toe, and I can confirm the totally insane pain level!
People that haven't experienced it, cannot possibly understand what those thousands of tiny, sharp little acid arrows do to every nerve thread in the attacked tissue. It's absolutely horrible! My deeply felt sympathy towards those affected.
I did have at least one instance of gout some years ago, typically in the inner joint of the big toe, and I can confirm the totally insane pain level!
People that haven't experienced it, cannot possibly understand what those thousands of tiny, sharp little acid arrows do to every nerve thread in the attacked tissue. It's absolutely horrible! My deeply felt sympathy towards those affected.- Attachments
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True freedom is a live Puppy on a multisession CD/DVD.
I used to suffer from it a lot, and I agree that unless you have had it you cannot imagine the pain. I also suffered from water retention that curiously seemed to effect the same leg.
I now make sure I drink a lot of fruit juice and cheap lemonade or water and I only occasionally get twinges. I found that for the water retention, plenty of liquid and running up and down stairs to the toilet seem to help.
It also helps the gout as well if you can stand the extra pain.
I've also given up alcohol, but I don't know if that is related. I used to drink quite a lot, but for some reason, just stopped wanting it - which surprised me and has thoroughly confused my doctor since apparently I should have not been able to without serious help.
I now make sure I drink a lot of fruit juice and cheap lemonade or water and I only occasionally get twinges. I found that for the water retention, plenty of liquid and running up and down stairs to the toilet seem to help.
It also helps the gout as well if you can stand the extra pain.
I've also given up alcohol, but I don't know if that is related. I used to drink quite a lot, but for some reason, just stopped wanting it - which surprised me and has thoroughly confused my doctor since apparently I should have not been able to without serious help.
"Just think of it as leaving early to avoid the rush" - T Pratchett
A follow-up: during February last I went for bood tests. Uric acid level was elevated but still within the " normal range" (just). Doctor prescribed a low dose of allopurinol and that worked. However after two months of using it I decided to try the non-medical route. I have been using baking soda for the past three months and the result is excellent. I dissolve a flat teaspoon of baking soda in a litre of water and drink a glass just before going to bed. It also helps with softening the stool. I have not changed my eating and drinking habits at all. Going well so far.
It is good to hear that some treatment work. I wrote about the MR that I had while in pain. The resulting report was totally confusing. You cannot see pain in a MR image, unless there is some visible physical damage that will produce pain, and there were no visible indications of reasons for the pain. It took almost 2 weeks before the foot was 'normal' again. Interestingly, in the other foot, there was a clear image of an object in my ancle, similar to a bullet or ball. I have absolutely no idea how and when that happened.
I have not folowed it up. Yet.
I have not folowed it up. Yet.
True freedom is a live Puppy on a multisession CD/DVD.
Some feedback. I've continued the baking soda treatment of dissolving two teaspoons (rounded but not heaped up) of baking soda in a two litre container of water, drinking one glass every night just before going to bed. It's been over a year now and no attacks at all, no swellings or other signs of inflammation either. I have not changed my eating habits at all and have not used any additional medication. I've also discovered an additional benefit, the treatment seems to help with digestion as the stool seems to be "softer" which means no constipation. Highly recommended.
I too haven't had gout for a long time, however - and i don't know if it is connected - I do get inflammation of the skin on that lower leg and foot which makes it very sensitive to heat. It only seems to last for a couple of hours.
"Just think of it as leaving early to avoid the rush" - T Pratchett
Gout occurs when urate crystals accumulate in your joint, causing the inflammation and intense pain of a gout attack. Urate crystals can form when you have high levels of uric acid in your blood.
Your body produces uric acid when it breaks down purines — substances that are found naturally in your body.
Purines are also found in certain foods, such as steak, organ meats and seafood. Other foods also promote higher levels of uric acid, such as alcoholic beverages, especially beer, and drinks sweetened with fruit sugar (fructose).
Normally, uric acid dissolves in your blood and passes through your kidneys into your urine. But sometimes either your body produces too much uric acid or your kidneys excrete too little uric acid. When this happens, uric acid can build up, forming sharp, needlelike urate crystals in a joint or surrounding tissue that cause pain, inflammation and swelling.
So drink A LOT of water (not other drinks) to help dissolve the cristals and eliminate them in the kidneys.
The cristals that look like * or sea urchin go on the blood stream and get caught in the smaller place(capilars veins) and they are real needles in the joints. So elevating the feet while sleeping is a good medicine.
Your body produces uric acid when it breaks down purines — substances that are found naturally in your body.
Purines are also found in certain foods, such as steak, organ meats and seafood. Other foods also promote higher levels of uric acid, such as alcoholic beverages, especially beer, and drinks sweetened with fruit sugar (fructose).
Normally, uric acid dissolves in your blood and passes through your kidneys into your urine. But sometimes either your body produces too much uric acid or your kidneys excrete too little uric acid. When this happens, uric acid can build up, forming sharp, needlelike urate crystals in a joint or surrounding tissue that cause pain, inflammation and swelling.
So drink A LOT of water (not other drinks) to help dissolve the cristals and eliminate them in the kidneys.
The cristals that look like * or sea urchin go on the blood stream and get caught in the smaller place(capilars veins) and they are real needles in the joints. So elevating the feet while sleeping is a good medicine.