Acute Gout Attack –Treatment Duration and Pain Severity

An acute gout attack usually occurs at night. This sudden unbearable pain begins at the big toe. The toe joint becomes red, tender, swollen and warm. Men are more prone to sudden gout attack than women.

Home remedies usually are helpful in preventing gout but they are not much of a use when an acute gout attack occurs. Immediate medical attention is required to reduce the pain and to avoid the joint disability.

Both steroids and non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed based on the severity of the attack and other considerations.

Obviously the non steroidal drugs are the first choice. High doses of such drugs are given to reduce the pain within the next 24 hours. Then the dosage are reduced. The aim is to reduce the severity of pain and prevent further attack.

Steroids are given when the other medicines don't work.

Both kinds of treatments have nasty side effects because of their heavy dosage. But, the treatment must be taken as the excruciating pain of an acute gout attack is very difficult to bear.

Without proper treatment your joints can get irreparable damage.

In addition to one or combination of both of the above medications other actions like increasing fluid intakes and putting ice packs on the joints are carried out to reduce inflammation.

The acute attack is a warning signal. Treat it and learn to prevent it before the gout becomes chronic. Change your food habits. Eat foods that contain no purine or less purine. Drink lots of fluid.

It is important that you get a good understanding of gout by discussing your family history of arthritis, other bone diseases and your own lifestyle with your doctor.

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Acute Gout Attack –Treatment Duration and Pain Severity

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