Gout, which is a type of
arthritis, is brought on by abnormally high levels of uric acid in the blood. These high levels lead to the formation of crystals in a joint, which cause pain, inflammation, and swelling, among other things. People who have recently been diagnosed with gout may wonder what to do for it. Treatment, of course, is necessary; you can also help prevent attacks from occurring.
Your healthcare provider will tell you exactly what to do for gout in your specific situation; however, treatment generally involves relieving symptoms of the gout attack and preventing future attacks from occurring. Different medications are used to achieve these goals, such as
colchicine,
prednisone,
allopurinol, and probenecid.
Lifestyle modifications that may help prevent future attacks include avoiding foods with a high purine content, exercising more, and decreasing your alcohol intake. These can't guarantee that a gout attack will never occur, but they can certainly minimize the risk.
(Click Gout Treatments and Gout Prevention to learn more about what you can do for this condition. These articles explain the risk factors for gout, the specific drugs used to treat it [and their side effects], and other lifestyle modifications.)
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