Mention of gout is found in ancient medical treatises. Hippocrates, describing this disease of joints in his scientific works, called it "a trap for legs." According to statistics, men suffer from this violation several times more often than women. As a rule, a disease develops between the ages of 40 and 55, and it is useful for people who have encountered such a problem to know how to treat gout with medical and folk remedies.
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Gout - what is this disease?
Gout is an inflammatory process accompanied by acute pain in the joints during exacerbations of the disease, and in the advanced stages nodular seals (tofus) are formed, filled with salt deposits.
This disease develops due to metabolic disorders, when the level of uric acid in the blood exceeds the norm. If a person is healthy, excess is removed from the body, and with gouty changes, they remain in the tissues, which leads to the destruction of joints.
The main signs of gout are swelling and redness of the skin, as well as pain and throbbing in the affected areas, a burning sensation and bursting. If the disease is not treated, it will gradually become chronic, and the intervals between exacerbations will decrease each time.
Gout Flow Forms
Gout is classified depending on the nature of the manifestations of the disease and the presence (or absence) of hard salt deposits.
This disease is divided into the following stages:
- Premorbid. This stage is considered the beginning of the disease, when it practically does not manifest itself. Only in some cases, patients complain of general weakness, increased sweating and digestive disorders. At this stage, there are still no noticeable lesions in the articular tissue, and the disease can be diagnosed only with a biochemical blood test.
- Intermittent. At this stage of the disease, salt deposits begin to form in the kidneys and soft tissues in the immediate vicinity of the joints. This condition is accompanied by short attacks that last no more than a week, and then remission occurs. The frequency of exacerbations depends on many factors, these include the timeliness and adequacy of the treatment, patient compliance with the doctor's recommendations, as well as the presence and nature of concomitant diseases.
- Chronic The disease goes into this form if at the initial stages the treatment of gout was not carried out. The disorder progresses, and small salt crystals combine to form seals of various, sometimes rather large, sizes. As a result of this, severe pain appears in the affected areas, as well as a high risk of developing urolithiasis. In addition, nearby tissues become inflamed, which limits mobility, and exacerbations occur more often.
Tip. You need to seek medical help if you find the first symptoms of gout, timely measures will help to avoid the development of formidable complications.
Which doctor should I contact
If you suspect the development of gout, you should visit a physician who will schedule an examination. After diagnosis, the treatment tactics is determined by a rheumatologist, and in some cases, consultation of such specialists is required:
- surgeon, if the disease has gone to an extreme stage, and the question arises of combining conservative methods of therapy with operative ones;
- orthopedist, when there are complications affecting the musculoskeletal system;
- urologist, if a patient has a violation in the work of the kidneys and urogenital organs;
- cardiologist to determine the status of the cardiovascular system.
In addition, you need to connect a nutritionist, this specialist will develop an individual nutrition system for the patient.
How to treat gout
You can achieve significant relief from gout if the treatment is comprehensive. Competent therapy includes not only medication, but also proper nutrition, physiotherapy and physiotherapy, as well as alternative healing methods.
The principles of drug treatment
The main goal of treating gout is to reduce edema and restore uric acid balance.
For these purposes, the following groups of medicines are used:
- nonsteroidal drugs (colchicine);
- uricodepressive drugs (Allopurinol and Thiopurinol);
- uricosuric drugs (sulfinpyrazone).
Important! Only a specialist should select a drug, plan a dosage and its application schedule, self-medication in this case is unacceptable.
Gout surgery
Surgical treatment is prescribed when drug therapy is ineffective. As a rule, surgery is performed if the disease is started. And also intervention is necessary for complications characterized by a large lesion area and large salt deposits.
After the operation, the patient is prescribed a spa treatment and a set of wellness procedures.
The use of folk remedies
In addition to the main treatment, wellness treatments can be carried out at home.
Popular folk remedies for gout include:
- Onion tincture. To clean several bulbs, pour water and steam over low heat for half an hour, and then insist and strain. To take such a remedy is required several times a day, 110-120 ml, for 2 weeks.
- Ointment.To prepare the therapeutic composition, you need to take pork or goose fat as a basis, and add a small amount of baby cream, butter, petroleum jelly and lanolin to it. Apply the mixture twice a day, the course of treatment is 1 month, after which a week break is required.
- Valerian compress. It will be necessary to mix in equal proportions the alcohol tincture of valerian with triple cologne and insist for a day. This means you need to lubricate the problem areas, and then wrap these areas with a warm cloth. You can carry out the procedure every day.
- Contrast baths. In one container you will need to pour wheat and pour boiling water, and pour cold water into another. After the temperature of the fluid in the first basin becomes tolerable, you need to alternately lower the legs of the prepared container, and then put on thick woolen socks.
- Soothing bathtubs. The solution for this procedure is prepared in the following proportions: for 1 liter of warm water you will need a teaspoon of soda and 3 drops of iodine. Keep your feet in a container until the water has cooled. You can carry out the procedure daily.
Attention! Before using any of these folk remedies, it is necessary to discuss the chosen method of treatment with a doctor.
Features of a Gout Diet
To increase the effectiveness of the treatment, it is necessary to combine basic therapy with diet, properly organizing the diet. It is important for people suffering from gout to drink at least 2 liters of water daily, and more often use these types of products:
- raw vegetables;
- fresh fruits and berries;
- boiled potatoes;
- wholemeal bread;
- dairy and dairy products;
- citrus fruits, especially oranges.
Eat occasionally, in small quantities, and care must be taken when consuming such products:
- meat and smoked meats;
- fish dishes;
- mushrooms;
- pickles;
- Beans
- sorrel, cauliflower, spinach, celery;
- strong tea and coffee;
- salt and sugar.
Remove from the diet will need such components:
- fried foods;
- broths of meat or fish;
- canned foods;
- offal;
- spices and hot spices;
- vinegar;
- products from cocoa beans;
- alcohol;
- carbonated drinks.
Compliance with these principles of nutrition will increase the effectiveness of therapy, as well as reduce the frequency and intensity of exacerbations of the disease.
Complications of the disease
If medical assistance to the patient was provided inopportune or the treatment was carried out incorrectly, the appearance of such complications is possible:
- nephropathy;
- acute renal failure;
- pyelonephritis;
- urolithiasis;
- arterial hypertension;
- ischemia.
These disorders develop as a result of an excess of uric acid and often entail the death of the patient. Therefore, it is so important to start treatment for gout on time and adhere to the doctor's recommendations.
Gout Prevention
To avoid the development of gout, and if the disease has already occurred, to reduce the risk of exacerbations, you must adhere to the following rules:
- wear quality shoes with a comfortable shoe;
- control weight, avoiding the appearance of extra pounds;
- Do not overeat;
- monitor blood pressure indicators;
- avoid traumatic damage to the joint tissues and high physical exertion;
- drink at least 1.5 liters of water per day;
- avoid overheating and overcooling.
In modern medicine, there are many ways to combat gout, which are constantly being improved. If you follow the advice of specialists and lead a healthy lifestyle, you can cope with an insidious disease and prevent relapse.
