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About Gout and How to Keep it from Ruining Your Summer



Summer means more opportunities to live a more active lifestyle, but what happens when your own body creates obstacles that can potentially sabotage all your plans?


What is gout, and how does it show up in the body?


Gout is a type of arthritis that focuses on the buildup of uric acid within joints, most commonly around the big toe. Uric acid is the waste product produced by the body when it breaks down purine, a substance that can exist in many foods. These waste products filter through the urinary system, where the kidneys eventually excrete the waste as urine.


However, when too much uric acid builds up and not enough filters out, it can cause urate crystals to form around joints, which can lead to pain, redness, and inflammation in the affected joint. While these flare-ups are usually temporary, lasting one to two weeks, the pain they cause can affect someone’s mobility. This can encourage a more sedentary lifestyle to avoid further aggravating the affected joints, which can worsen symptoms.


Common Risk Factors


There are several risk factors that can raise the likelihood of developing gout. Unfortunately, some are unavoidable.


Gender is one unavoidable factor, as men are more likely than women to develop gout because men have higher levels of uric acid in their system. Family history can also increase that risk factor regardless of gender.


Meanwhile, diets rich in purine and unhealthy lifestyle choices that promote obesity and lead to higher blood pressure can affect the severity of the disease process. Fortunately, these are possible to treat.


Diagnosis and Treatment Options


First, if you suspect that you have gout, then you should speak to your healthcare provider to test for a proper diagnosis. Tests may include:


· Joint fluid collection from the affected joint and examining for crystals.

· Blood testing to measure uric acid levels.

· X-ray imaging to search for uric acid crystal formation around the affected joint.


From there, your healthcare provider may prescribe medication that promotes pain management, lowers inflammatory response, and/or inhibits the body’s production of urate.


But what can YOU do to reduce the risk and severity of gout flare-ups?


While proper diagnosis and medication can help treat gout symptoms, there are other actions you can take to help lower the risk and severity of flare-ups.


As purine rich diets can create uric acid buildup, it’s important to identify the kinds of food with larger amounts of purine in order to avoid them. This includes:


· Red meat and certain types of seafood like herring and mussels.

· Alcohol, especially beer, which contains guanosine that can lead to purine production.

· Asparagus and mushrooms.


But while you can avoid certain foods, you can also seek out foods known for their anti-inflammatory properties.


According to a study initially published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vitamin C can minimize the body’s inflammatory response by breaking down uric acid crystals. Meanwhile, another study where participants added lemon juice to their water for six weeks also showed a lowered inflammatory response.


How can you resume exercise after a flare-up?


A sedentary lifestyle can lead to obesity, and obesity can lead to a higher risk of gout flareups because of higher uric acid buildup. Therefore, it’s important to look for alternative ways to be more physically active in between flare-ups.


If your healthcare provider approves exercise as part of your treatment plan, then you should find exercises that minimize stress to your joints. Low impact exercises are beneficial for arthritic patients overall, and a few include:


· Range-of-motion exercises such as stretching.

· Aerobic exercises such as walking, bicycling, and swimming.

· Daily activities that encourage movement such as walking the dog.


However, while these exercises are less impactful on your joints, you should always listen to your body and stop if anything causes pain.


Conclusion


It’s never fun when gout gets in the way of your summer plans. But with proper management, good diet, and low impact exercising, you can still live an active lifestyle to promote good health. So even if you have a flare-up during your vacation, it doesn’t mean you have to sit back and watch everyone else have fun.


Sources





Medical News Today. Lemon juice and gout: What are the benefits? https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/lemon-juice-and-gout


Medscape. Could Vitamin C Help Reduce Gout? https://www.medscape.com/s/viewarticle/981992?form=fpf


MayoClinic. Exercise helps ease arthritis pain and stiffness. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/arthritis/in-depth/arthritis/art-20047971


Assessed and Endorsed by the MedReport Medical Review Board

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