Gout is a type of arthritis that affects many people - men and women, although this condition often affects men than women. If you have gout, you would often experience pain and swelling which usually starts with the big toe. Aside from the toes and the feet, it can also affect the hand, the ankles, the knees and elbows.
To help you combat this problem and prevent it from recurring, it is important to understand gout causes and treatment. With enough information, you can actually eliminate this problem out of your life.
Causes of gout
High level of uric acid in the bloodstream is the main cause of gout. Uric acid is a natural end product of our body's metabolism but when they are not flushed out from the body, uric acid can build up in the joints and the tissues near it, causing the swelling and pain. Too much uric acid can also affect your kidney and may also lead to kidney problems.
It is also important to understand that there are foods that are high in purines that can lead to high uric acid in the blood that increases your risk of gout as well. Here are some of the foods that you should avoid if you have gout - anchovies, beans and other legumes, organ meats like liver and kidneys as well as shellfishes.
Keep in mind too that if you have food allergies, these will also make you more prone to gout. Avoiding the foods that will cause you allergy will help a lot as well in preventing gout. To understand more of gout causes and treatment, here are other things that increase your uric acid levels and increase your risk of developing gout.
Excessive stress is one of the many culprits of the many health problems we have and gout is no exemption. Stress can raise your uric acid and increases your likelihood of developing gout. The use of antibiotics, vitamin deficiency, hypothyroidism as well as other diseases like leukemia and psoriasis can also trigger the development of gout.
Treatment for gout
Gout can be treated with medications such as corticosterones but with these medications also comes the side effects. However, there are natural treatments and home remedies that you can do to lessen the severity of the pain and other symptoms of gout.
For prevention, be sure to drink plenty of water or fluids each day. It also helps a lot if you maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight can increase your chances of getting high uric acid levels as well and leads to gout.
For treatment, drinking cherry juice or eating fresh cherries is one popular natural remedy for gout. Like any other natural treatments, its effectiveness may differ from one person to another, but most people who have tried cherry juice have found some remarkable effect on their problems with gout. Aside from cherries, blueberries and apples are also great natural treatment for gout. Rosehip is also another natural treatment for gout especially if you take it as a beverage. You can also take rosehip tea as your everyday drink.
You can indeed fight gout naturally. Understanding gout causes and treatments is one of your best defenses. Along with it should be dietary and lifestyle changes that will help you a lot in reducing the level of uric acid in your body.
Author Resource:-
Carolyn Anderson loves to share some resources useful in fighting common health problems. If you are having problems with gout, check out Out With Gout. Also check out Cold Sore Freedom, where you can find an natural cures for cold sores.