Gout is a common type of arthritis, initially caused by high blood levels of uric acid. Characterized by inflammation, swelling, and stiffness of joints, it can be extremely painful. Due to a fluctuation in the uric acid level in your body, you can have painful flare-ups, which may last from days to weeks. If your uric acid level remains high for a long time, you might experience chronic gout with frequent symptoms. To keep gout under control, you need to learn the right management techniques that help keep gout symptoms at bay and reduce the risk of future attacks. Following are the changes or precautions that can help you manage life with gout-

• Check your diet

  A balanced healthy diet is a prerequisite for managing gout. Therefore, choose your food items wisely and ensure you follow a well-balanced diet. As being overweight increases the risk of developing gout, you need to lose weight and reduce your calorie intake. Foods rich in purines like meat, sardines, mackerel, chickpeas, shellfish, etc. increase the uric acid levels and worsen gout symptoms; so limit your intake of such foods. Avoid refined carbohydrates like biscuits, white bread, and cookies and say no to artificial fruit juices and soft drinks. Consume low-fat milk and curd. Take more of antioxidant-rich fruits such as grapes, cherries, blueberries, pineapples, and more. In addition, drink plenty of water, at least 8-10 glasses a day. It helps remove the excess uric acid from the body and lowers the risk of crystal formation in the joints that eventually results in a painful gout attack.

• Follow proper medication

  There are short-term and long-term medications for gout flares. An anti-inflammatory medication helps relieve pain and shorten an acute gout attack. Medicines that help lower uric acid in the body are prescribed to those suffering from chronic gout, which must be taken regularly. One should keep painkiller medicines handy so that they are consumed just when the first sign of redness or pain in the joint appears.

• Avoid triggers

  Knowing the triggers and learning to stay away from them can help a lot. Smoking and drinking worsens gout, as smoking interferes with the body’s metabolism and alcohol increases uric acid levels in the blood. Some antihypertensive and potassium-losing diuretic medicines are known to increase uric acid levels; so they must be avoided. Dehydration and gout have a close connection, as uric acid level increases when the body is dehydrated. Therefore, always keep your body hydrated to keep gout flares at bay. Stress is another major gout trigger; so you need to keep it in check. It is hard to eliminate stress, but it can be minimized.

• Exercise regularly

  Exercising frequently works wonders to prevent gout attacks. It not only keeps uric acid low, but also manages blood sugar levels. You should try not to gain weight and shed those extra pounds, which can otherwise make the gout pain worse. You don’t have to overstress your joints. Do light exercise every day to keep your joints moving. However, during gout attacks, you should take rest.

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