Gout is a type of arthritis that usually occurs in a single joint and causes a sudden attack of extreme pain. The joint becomes shiny, swollen, hot and reddish-purple. Gout most commonly affects the base of the big toe, but can develop in other joints as well. The condition occurs when too much uric acid accumulates in the body, causing crystals to form in the joints and nearby tissue. You may need to experiment with different homemade remedies to learn what works best for you.
Avoiding Foods that Worsen Gout
Avoiding foods high in purine can help gout symptoms, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), because the body breaks down purine into uric acid during the digestive process. The worst culprits are organ meats and red meat, but you should avoid all meat during a gout attack for best results. Also avoid eating oily fish such as anchovies, herring, mackerel and sardines. During a gout attack, it’s best to not eat vegetables containing moderate amounts of purines, including asparagus, beans, lentils, mushrooms and spinach. You also shouldn’t eat foods containing oxalate, another substance associated with crystal formation. These foods include beets, black tea, chocolate, nuts, rhubarb, strawberries and wheat bran. Avoid refined foods during a gout attack as well, such as white breads, pastas and sugar.
Eating Foods that Relieve Gout
The UMMC and the Mayo Clinic recommend many foods as potential remedies and preventive agents for gout. These include antioxidant foods, particularly fruits and vegetables that are not on the list of foods to avoid. Root vegetables such as potatoes and yams are good to include, along with bell peppers, squash, tomatoes, avocado, bananas and blueberries. Cherries in particular can relieve gout symptoms. Drinking 8 to 16 oz. of cherry juice or eating 1/2 lb. of fresh or frozen cherries per day for at least two weeks can reduce uric acid levels. Also include whole grains such as barley, bran, brown rice, oats and rye.
Beverages in Consideration
Drink 8 to 16 cups of fluid each day to relieve gout symptoms and prevent future episodes, as advised by the Mayo Clinic. At least half this amount should be water. Avoid sugar-sweetened soft drinks, as these can aggravate gout symptoms. It’s best not to drink alcohol during a gout attack, in fact, reduce or eliminate most alcohol intake if you’re prone to gout. Beer is strongly linked to an elevated risk of gout in men and hard liquor also increases the risk, according to a study from the April 17, 2004 issue of “The Lancet.” If you do drink, choose wine–moderate wine drinking did not elevate gout risk in this study.
Herbal Remedies
Drinking two to four cups daily of green tea made from Camelia sinensis leaves can help relieve gout symptoms, according to the UMMC. Use 1 tsp. herb per cup of hot water and steep covered for 5 to 10 minutes. Stinging nettle tea also may relieve symptoms, as noted by Arthritis Today. Steep tea made from 1 to 2 tsp. dried leaves for 3 to 5 minutes and drink one cup three times daily.
Compresses
The UMMC recommends applying a hot compress to the joint for three minutes and alternating with a cold compress for 30 seconds, repeating as many times as you want. This technique relieves pain and increases blood flow to the affected area. You also can make a nettle tea compress to apply to the joint, using 1 to 2 tsp. of dried stinging nettle leaves per cup of hot water. Although stinging nettle hairs are very painful to touch, they actually reduce pain when they contact a painful area of the body. Nettle appears to reduce the chemicals in the body that cause inflammation and they also interfere with pain signals.
About this Author
Shelley Moore is a freelance writer and owner of an eBay resale business. She specializes in writing about alternative and conventional health care, personal development and psychology, and personal finance.
