Solutions For Gout Attack - Sani Kamis- Singapore Podiatrist

What is Gout?

Gout sufferers usually wake up in the middle of the night with a hot, painful joint on their foot. The pain makes it difficult to even walk and can last for few days and even weeks. The big toe joint is involved in 90% of people with Gout. However, this ailment can also attack the top of the foot and the ankle and cause foot and ankle swelling, and sometimes to other joints in the body.

What can be done about Gout?

It is important to first recognise the signs and symptoms of Gout. The most well-known symptom is throbbing pain and swelling in the joints that can last for hours to days. The pain may subside and seemingly disappear for a few weeks or months after the initial attack, but this relief is only temporary as a subsequent attack will eventually occur. Gouty flare-ups are common in the foot, ankle and knee joints and may be triggered an illness or traumatic injury.

During a Gout attack, it is advisable to elevate the leg to reduce swelling and drink plenty of water. Applying an ice pack to the affected area may offer some relief, but too much cold can actually cause more uric acid crystals to deposit in the joint worsening the condition. The best solution may be Contrast Therapy, a method that involves switching between a hot compress for 2 – 3 minutes and a cold compress for 30 – 45 seconds on the affected area. Contrast therapy can help reduce pain and swelling that occurs during a gout attack.

Gout at an acute stage (redness, pain and swelling) can be controlled and regulated with anti-inflammatory drugs prescribed by a doctor. Such a prescription usually helps alleviate pain and inflammation within 1 – 2 days. Once the pain is gone, follow up with a specialist doctor is critical. A doctor may confirm the diagnosis with a series of tests including x-rays, ultrasound imaging, and/or aspiration of joint fluid to examine uric crystals. Gout may sometimes be mistaken for some other form of arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis or even septic arthritis, and may also present in the absence of increased uric acid levels.

If your attack has become more frequent, it is best to consult a specialist doctor such as a rheumatologist or endocrinologist to maintain your uric acid levels through prescribed medications. Leaving your gout condition untreated will increase your risk of developing secondary problems such as multi-joint gout attacks and permanent joint deformities, including in the hands. This will permanently affect your quality of life, interrupting your daily activities such as simple walking.

For long-term management of Gout, medication alone is insufficient. Gout patients will need to include regular visits with a Podiatrist to quicken their recovery process. A Podiatrist will ensure that the structures in the patient’s foot are well-preserved and play an important role in minimising joint damage during gout flare-ups, relieving stress from the affected joints.

Through a thorough foot examination and gait assessment, a Podiatrist will base their design of the foot orthotic on the results and findings, including advice on the appropriate footwear to help manage the affected joints. Foot orthotics also serve to minimise the patient’s risk of developing other foot ailments which result from secondary arthritic changes.

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EAST COAST PODIATRY ( ECPC )