A gout is a form of arthritis that can cause severe pain. In most cases, gout is due to the excessive production of uric acid in the body and occurs when uric acid crystals get accumulated in the joints and cause immense pain. Majority of the people having gout experience gout foot pain, which is excruciating pain in the foot, toes or ankles.
Dealing with a sudden and acute gout attack
It is true that gout foot pain can cause severe discomfort and this may even result in disrupting normal, everyday life. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that very few ailments can be as painful as gout pain. The pain affects various joints of the body, and primarily it is the feet that are most affected. It is quite possible for people with gout to have a painful attack without very evident warning signs. People who have gout can be suddenly awakened in the wee hours of the night with tender, swollen and red feet that have excruciating and radiating pain. When this happens, you would want to react soon and deal with this pain at the earliest.
When you have a gout attack and are experiencing severe gout foot pain, here is what you can do to get some relief and try to ease the symptoms of gout.
Take the medicine you have immediately
When you have a gout attack, the sooner you look at ways to reduce the pain, the better would be the results. In most cases, if you have been diagnosed with gout, you will be prescribed pain reducers to be taken at the time of gout attack. If you do not have the prescribed medicines or you have not yet been diagnosed with gout but have similar symptoms and suspect that the pain you are experiencing in your feet is gout foot pain, the first thing that you should do is take an over-the-counter ibuprofen. It is necessary to consult the doctor before you take any medications.
In case you are taking any regular medicines for lowering uric acid levels in your body, you should continue with your regular dosage and take an appointment with a doctor as soon as you can.
Use some cold compress
Applying an ice pack or cold compress to the affected, painful joints can ease the pain as well as reduce inflammation significantly. A good idea here is to wrap a bag of crushed ice in a dishcloth and apply it on the affected area for 20 to 30 minutes every few hours during the day.
Get in touch with your doctor
Whether you have been diagnosed with gout before or you are only suspecting it, you should immediately call your doctor when you have the gout foot pain. Your doctor may call you for a joint fluid test to confirm gout. In case you have been already diagnosed with the condition and the pain is not subsiding, the doctor may prescribe a higher dosage. Your doctor may also advise an injection of corticosteroid based on your pain condition. The length and severity of a gout attack can be reduced if the treatment begins within the first 24 hours of the start of the attack.
Drinks lots of fluids
A Gout attack usually happens when the uric acid levels in the blood are excessive. In this case, flushing out the excessive acid is important. Staying hydrated can help in this. High uric acid levels can also lead to the formation of uric acid stones in the kidneys. Drinking lots of fluids can prevent this. However, it is recommended to stay away from sugary and fructose based liquids. Alcohol, particularly beer, should always be avoided to deal with gout foot pain.
Rest and support your foot
The gout pain in the feet is associated with inflammation and swelling. Hence, elevating the feet can contribute to easing off the swelling as well as contribute to lessening the pain. It is recommended to raise your feet well above the chest level. To give the foot that has gout pain some relief, you should use a cane when walking to keep the pressure off the foot.
Keep everything off the affected foot
When you have gout foot pain, you will realize that your foot becomes very tender and extra sensitive. Even the weight of your bedsheet can cause immense pain. What you can do here is tuck your bedsheet at around your calf muscle to avoid the cloth touching your painful foot. Keeping your feet warm can help in reducing the pain so you can cut your old socks around the area that is painful (mostly the toe area) and wear the socks carefully to keep your feet warm.
Relax
Try some relaxation techniques. You can watch a movie, call your friend over for some quality time or read a book and listen to music. Do anything that will make you less stressed because stress can aggravate your pain.
Gout foot pain is very annoying. The above tips can help you manage a gout attack and deal with it in the right way so that it causes minimum discomfort.
