To treat gout disease, scientifically called Gouty Arthritis, it is recommended to take medications that act on uric acid, such as Colchicine, Allopurinol or Probenecida, which decrease uric acid in the body, the accumulation of urates in the joints, as well as preventing the appearance of crises.
During a gout crisis, in which there is intense inflammation and pain in the joint, the doctor usually guides the use of anti-inflammatory drugs. The person who has this disease must also be careful with their food throughout their lives to avoid worsening the symptoms and complications that gout can cause, such as joint deformities and kidney damage, for example.
Gout is an inflammatory arthritis that can cause a lot of pain during attacks, which appears abruptly, caused by the crystallization of uric acid that is deposited within the joints, usually in people who have high uric acid. Understand what causes gout and what the symptoms are.
Main pharmacy remedies
The treatment of gout can be guided by the rheumatologist or general practitioner, and can vary if the person is in a crisis or if it is a maintenance treatment of the disease. The recommendations for each case are:
1. Treatment of gout attacks
To treat a gout attack, also called acute gout, your doctor will advise you on medications that help to quickly relieve inflammation. The main ones include:
- Anti-inflammatories, such as Naproxen, Ketoprofen, Ibuprofen or Indomethacin, for example: they are indicated to relieve the symptoms of arthritis, right after the symptoms start, and should be maintained until the crisis is resolved, for about 1 week; Corticosteroids, such as Prednisone, Prednisolone, Methylprednisolone or Triamcinolone, for example: they also have an anti-inflammatory effect, and can be used in tablets or injections that can be intramuscular or can also be applied directly to the affected joint, helping to obtain a response faster and more effective; Colchicine: is another type of anti-inflammatory indicated to help relieve the gout crisis quickly, and its effect is better when started in the first hours of the onset of the crisis. Learn more about how it works and how to use this medicine at Colchicine.
These drugs should be used with caution, as directed by the doctor, as they can cause side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or increase the risk of gastric bleeding, especially if used incorrectly.
2. Control of uric acid
After the resolution of the gout crisis, preventive treatment can be started to prevent further attacks and decrease the levels of uric acid in the blood. It is especially indicated whenever the patient experiences two or more seizures a year, if he has tophi in the joints, chronic kidney disease or a history of kidney stones due to excess uric acid.
Some of the medications used include:
- Allopurinol: is the main medication used to control the levels of uric acid in the blood, reducing its levels and the possibility of accumulation in the joints; Uricosuric remedies, such as Probenecida: help to increase the elimination of uric acid in the urine.
Other newer drugs, such as Febuxostat or Pegloticase, are potent inhibitors of uric acid formation, and are also an option for treatment, if the others cannot be used, due to allergies or intolerances, for example. Also, check out how to identify and fight high uric acid.
Diet changes
In gout feeding, it is recommended to avoid foods rich in protein, such as seafood, young animal meat and offal, as they act on the purine metabolism and tend to increase the concentration of uric acid in the blood.
Another important tip is to increase your water intake and avoid alcoholic beverages, especially beer, giving preference to low-fat milk and yogurt.
Watch the video to adapt your diet:
