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How To Prevent Gout Naturally | How To Prevent Gout Attacks Without Medication | Gout Flare Ups

This weeks video idea came to me after a patient asked me what they can do, to help prevent gout attacks.

Approximately 1 In 40 people In The UK Are Affected By Gout, Which Causes Sudden Attacks Of Severe Pain And Swelling In Joints. Here Are My 6 Top Tips To Help Prevent An Attack. Let's Help Those With Gout - Like, Share & Tag Friends Who Need This.

Gout is in fact one of the most common forms of arthritis. We all know someone who suffers from gout so please help spread the word on this video so more people can learn how to prevent an attack.

WHAT CAUSES GOUT

Gout is caused by having too much of the chemical, uric acid, in your bloodstream. Uric acid is the waste product created when the body breaks down purines (a type of protein found in many foods and all of your cells).

Most of the uric acid is passed out with the urine and some from the gut with the stools (faeces). In people with gout the amount of uric acid in the blood builds up. From time to time the level may become too high and tiny grit-like crystals of uric acid may form. The crystals typically collect in a joint. The crystals irritate the tissues in the joint to cause inflammation, swelling and pain - a gout attack.

HOW TO PREVENT GOUT ATTACKS

Lifestyle factors may reduce the risk of having gout attacks. These include losing weight (if overweight), eating a healthy diet and not drinking much alcohol or sugar-sweetened soft drinks. Feel free to watch my video for more detail.

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS OF GOUT

Any joint can be affected by gout, but it usually affects joints towards the ends of the limbs, such as the toes, ankles, knees and fingers. Signs and symptoms of gout include:

• Severe pain in one or more joints
• The joint feeling hot and very tender
• Swelling in and around the affected joint
• Red, shiny skin over the affected joint

Symptoms develop rapidly over a few hours and typically last three to 10 days. After this time the pain should pass and the joint should return to normal.

Almost everyone with gout will experience further attacks at some point, usually within a year.

See your GP if you suspect you have gout and it hasn't been previously diagnosed, particularly if the pain keeps getting worse and you also have a high temperature (fever).

It's important that a diagnosis is confirmed because other conditions that require urgent treatment, such as an infected joint, can sometimes cause similar symptoms.