Gout Treatment
Gout treatment has a number of different goals. Each gout treatment attempts to terminate acute attacks with NSAIDs and corticosteroids, prevent recurring attacks using colchicines or NSAIDs again, and prevent further deposition of uric acid crystals and help resolve existing tophi by lowing uric acid levels in the blood.
Gout Treatment
NSAIDs are an effective gout treatment of acute attacks. Usually NSAIDs are well tolerated by patients and exhibit few side effects. Some side effects of this gout treatment include upset stomach, high potassium levels in blood, and fluid retention. These gout treatment side effects are most prevalent in the elderly and dehydrated patients and patients with pre-existing renal disease.
Gout treatment using corticosteroids has also proven useful. The joint is aspirated (fluid removed) and then a corticosteroid suspension is injected. This is a particularly effective gout treatment when only one joint is affected or the gout attack is localized. Corticosteroids can also be administered orally as well, though intra-muscular injections can be given.
In addition to NSAIDs or corticosteroids, other mild pain relievers, rest and splinting can help the sore joint.
Gout treatments preventing recurrent attacks include daily use of colchicine. This preventative gout treatment can also minimize acute attacks if the dose is subjectively increased at the first hint of attack.
Lowering serum urate levels is the final gout treatment. Drugs that lower the serum urate levels should not be initiated until the acute gout symptoms have been completely controlled. As urate levels drop, the tophi are reabsorbed and joint damage or skin eruptions are eliminated or minimized. This gout treatment simply uses drugs that increase urate excretion by the kidney or with drugs that prevent urate formation. Allopurinol is the most common gout treatment preventing urate formation.
On top of these gout treatments, avoidance of foods high in purines is important in maintaining a healthy serum urate level and avoiding gout attacks or gouty arthritis.