Gout Pain Relief Without Medication

There is good news for people who suffer from the pain of gout. There is a safe, effective, and natural treatment is within your control that avoids the potentially harmful side effects of prescription and over-the-counter drugs. It is your diet . The over 2 million Americans estimated by the National Institute of Health to be suffering from this painful and debilitating condition now have a choice in their treatment.

Diet and herbs have shown great promise in controlling gout's pain. Gout, or crystal arthritis, typically affects the big toe, but can affect any of the major joints such as the ankle, knee, wrist, hand, elbow, or foot. Attacks are usually limited to one joint at a time and do not spread.

This painful condition is caused by the buildup of uric acid (or hyperuricemia) in the joints. We produce uric acid naturally when our bodies break down waste products, or purines. Normally, uric acid dissolves in the blood and is filtered by our kidneys and excreted in urine. Suffers from gout have excessive levels of uric acid, which forms crystals and then accumulates in joints and tissues. These crystals irritate the joints which become tender, inflamed, reddened. They are often warm. They are nearly always remarkably painful.

Untreated or unmanaged over the course of months and years, these crystals continue to accumulate and grow. They can form hard deposits called tophi, which protrude and appear to be lumps or bumps underneath the skin.

Common methods of controlling the pain associated with an onset of gout include both prescribed and over-the-counter pain relievers. However, some of these medications can have more serious side effects than gout itself. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) combat the inflamed join or tissue, but are only a temporary fix and cannot decrease the amount of uric acid in a person's system, which is the cause of gout. This inability to treat the cause of gout, plus severe possible side effects such as stomach ulcers, pain, bleeding, and diarrhea eliminate NSAIDs as a gout cure-all.

Other commonly prescribed medications include corticosteroids and colchicines. Corticosteroids help relieve minor pain and inflammation, but are only a temporary remedy with serious side effects such as decreased bone density and a compromised immune system which lessens the body's natural healing process and its ability to fight common infections. Colchicines are considered by some physicians to be the preeminent drugs for treating gout, but they also can produce serious side effects such as stomach cramping, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.

Fortunately, doctors now know there are alternatives to relieve and cure gout. One of the most effective - especially in older persons - is diet. A proper diet has been proven extremely effective at managing and preventing gout and the accompanying pain. And it does so without the disagreeable and unhealthy side effects mentioned above.

A diet designed to prevent gout would avoid foods high in purines. It would limit the consumption of some types of meats. It would allow the temperate consumption of other types of meat and cereals such as oatmeal, wheat bran, and wheat germ. New research recently published in The New England Journal of Medicine suggests that items previously believed to cause or exacerbate gout such as peas, beans, cauliflower, spinach, and mushrooms play no significant role in gout attacks.

You can quickly control gout and pain with your diet and herbs; the evidence is overwhelming. The American Medical Association advocates a diet high in complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. This ideal diet is low in protein and limits animal fats to less than 10% of your daily consumption. There are ample unrefined, tasty, and natural choices in the properly designed diet, including strawberries, tomatoes, and fruit juices. Your anti-gout diet and herbal regimen would include excellent sources of protein which do not cause or aggravate gout, such as poultry, soy, and certain types of nuts.

An effective diet plan can control your gout and eliminate its pain without dependency upon drugs. By utilizing a natural approach, you will improve your overall health, avoid harmful side effects, and live free of gout and its discomforts. Even if you intend to utilize drugs as a temporary treatment for your gout, adopting an anti-gout diet is a great idea, supported by sound medical research. It can be an extremely effective cornerstone in your approach to managing and controlling gout.