Know About Gout Foot Pain And Its Treatment Options

Know about gout foot pain and its treatment options

Gout foot pain happens to be one of the most common medical ailments that are experienced by many in the US. For those who are unaware, gout pain happens when the uric acid particles or crystals get accumulated in the joints of the bones. When our body becomes incapable of assimilating the uric acid particles normally, not only gout foot pain but also other issues like stones in kidney and malfunction of the kidney system can occur. Because of the variety of foods that we eat, the uric acid crystals can get synthesized in our body.

People who are suffering from gout foot pain have some common symptoms. A sudden “attack” or a flare up of gout can be characterized by some peculiar characteristics. So, in some cases the attack of gout foot pain can be almost predicted by a burning sensation or an itching sensation that can be quite bothersome. People who suffer from this problem for a long time eventually learn to recognize the signals of a gout foot pain attack. However, an attack of gout foot pain may occur without any prior warning and may just affect the patient out of the blue.

The most common point of gout foot pain is the big toe; however, it can occur anywhere else in the foot or any other bony joint in the body as well. The frequency of the gout foot pain may depend upon the severity of the case. For some people, the duration of the pain experienced may only last for a few hours while for some, the duration of gout foot pain episode may last for weeks. Therefore, the gout foot pain medication or gout foot pain treatment depends upon a patient’s case.

The number of cases of gout foot pain has been rising steadily over the past two decades and now it is believed that almost 4% of the US population suffers from gout foot pain. It is believed to be more common in males as compared to females and the chances of gout rises with age. If the level of uric acid is elevated in your blood, it may cause gout pain in your foot. Also, the chances of gout foot pain rise in a person whose parents also suffer from the same problem. Gout foot pain is common in people who consume excessive amounts of alcohol, suffer from obesity or high blood pressure. Hypothyroidism is an associated symptom of gout foot pain.

Treatment of gout foot pain begins with the diagnosis. The most common method of diagnosing gout foot pain is joint aspiration. In this process a long syringe needle is inserted in the joint and the accumulated fluid is taken for sampling for uric acid crystals. A local anesthetic is applied for performing this procedure. The fluid is then tested for the presence of crystals of uric acid. A patient’s blood work may also be done to assess if the levels of uric acid are elevated in the blood of the patient which may be the root cause of the gout pain in the foot.

As far as the gout foot pain treatment with medication is concerned, the doctor may use either over-the-counter medication or prescription medication or a combination of both for gout foot pain treatment. Pain medications have been known to be effective in most people with gout foot pain.

Common non-steroidal medicines that are prescribed by the doctors in the US are meloxicam or sulindac. Other over-the-counter medication like Tylenol or Ibuprofen may also prove to be quite effective.

Febuxostat, Probenecid, and Colchicine are some of the medicines that may be prescribed for gout foot pain. The treatment for gout pain is also done as a preventive measure to protect the patient from any possible flare up or a gout foot pain attack. Some patients may still get gout foot pain attacks despite the treatment in which case the dose and the medicine will be changed by the doctor. In some cases, even if you are on medication, you should see a doctor immediately. If your gout foot pain treatment is accompanied by high fever or your flare up does not subside even after seven days, it is advisable to visit a doctor. Some medications may be given to lower the levels of uric acid in the blood. Febuxostat and Probenecid are prescribed to the patient keeping in the mind the uric acid levels in the blood. Consulting a doctor becomes absolutely mandatory if you have never experienced a gout flare up. The symptoms of gout foot pain and some other conditions overlap which makes it extremely important to visit a doctor who will perform a differential diagnosis. Generally a single attack of gout pain typically lasts for about a week after which it subsides on its own.