Here are all the care methods you want to know about gout

Gout is a type of disease that is more obvious in daily life. When gout attacks, the pain is unbearable, which will cause a lot of trouble to the patient's work, study and life, and seriously affect their quality of life. Timely and effective care is very necessary. This article will take you to learn about the relevant knowledge about gout care to help you better manage this disease.

1. What is gout?

Gout is a disease caused by abnormal uric acid metabolism, which is mainly manifested by elevated uric acid levels, resulting in inflammatory pain in the joints and deposition of tophi in the joints and surrounding tissues.

2.What are the clinical symptoms of gout?

(1) Joint pain: Acute arthritis is the most typical symptom of gout. It usually occurs at the big toe joint, especially at night. The pain is severe and many patients find it difficult to endure.

(2) Joint redness and swelling: The patient's joints will experience redness, swelling, heat, and local tenderness. In some cases, the skin around the joints will also become red.

(3) Limited movement: Due to joint pain and swelling, patients often feel limited movement during a gout attack, and in some cases it is difficult to walk normally.

(4) Skin symptoms: In special cases of gout attacks, gout nodules can be felt on the skin surface around the patient's joints. This is due to the deposition of uric acid crystals under the skin.

(5) Kidney problems: Gout that is not effectively controlled for a long time can cause uric acid stones and increase the risk of kidney disease. Some patients may also experience kidney-related symptoms such as frequent urination and painful urination.

(6) Hyperuricemia: Gout patients may experience elevated uric acid levels during an attack or during asymptomatic periods, a condition known as hyperuricemia.

3.What are the specific care methods for gout?

(1) Take medication correctly under the guidance of a doctor: mainly uric acid-lowering drugs such as aloprinol and benzbromarone. During acute attacks, analgesics such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, glucocorticoids or codeine can be used to relieve pain and control inflammation.

(2) General care:

① You need to stay in bed and rest during the onset of joint pain, and you can gradually resume activities after the pain subsides about 3 days.

② During the attack, you need to avoid putting heavy pressure on the joints as much as possible. You can relieve pain by raising the affected limb and applying local cold compresses. After 24 hours, you can also apply hot compresses, physical therapy, and keep warm to help relieve discomfort.

(2) Proper diet control

① During an acute attack, you can choose to eat purine-free foods, such as skim milk, eggs and vegetable oil, or low-purine foods, such as enriched flour bread, biscuits, rice, vegetables and fruits.

② Patients often have a poor appetite during the attack period. They can choose to consume enough milk, eggs, and increase the intake of fruits and vegetables. Foods should be easy to digest and absorb, such as bread, rice and other foods.

③ A low-purine diet is required during the chronic stage or remission stage, and a purine-free diet is required for 2 days a week. Pay attention to the supplementation of vitamins and iron in the diet, and consume more fresh fruits and green leafy vegetables. Try to avoid high-purine foods such as animal offal, fish, poultry, peanuts, beans, whole wheat, spinach, etc., and eat more alkaline foods.

④ Control drinking alcohol and coffee: Alcohol and caffeine will affect the normal metabolism and excretion of uric acid, greatly increasing the chance of gout attacks. You need to try to avoid or drink less alcohol and coffee.

(3) Maintain a proper weight: Obesity is the main factor that causes gout. Being overweight will increase uric acid production and increase the chance of gout attacks.

(4) Drink more water: Adequate water intake can accelerate the dissolution and excretion of uric acid to a certain extent, and reduce the formation and deposition of uric acid crystals. The daily water intake needs to be maintained at more than 3000 ml, and sodium bicarbonate liquids can be consumed between meals.

(5) Strengthen physical therapy and physiotherapy. Physical therapy focuses on stretching and flexion, while physiotherapy includes hot compresses, hot water baths, infrared rays, and massage, which help increase blood circulation in the joints.

(6) Go to the hospital for regular follow-up visits to check uric acid, blood count, liver and kidney function and other indicators, adjust the treatment plan in a timely manner, and add liver-protecting drugs if necessary.

(7) Psychological care: Explain to the patient that this disease is a chronic disease and the focus is on controlling diet. Keeping a good mood can help reduce the frequency and severity of gout attacks.

4.What are the precautions for gout care?

(1) Avoid standing or walking for long periods of time

(2) Avoid hunger and overeating

(3) Pay attention to adverse drug reactions: Some drugs can cause elevated uric acid levels or affect uric acid metabolism, such as diuretics and beta-adrenergic receptor blockers. Patients need to pay close attention to changes in uric acid levels when using these drugs.

(4) Try to avoid factors that trigger gout attacks, such as drinking.

summary

Gout is a disease that seriously affects the quality of life, but through timely, effective and scientific nursing methods, the onset of gout and the progression of the disease can be effectively controlled, further improving the patient's quality of life and reducing pain.

Author: Liu Xiangling Qian'an Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital