A: Medications are often the most effective way to:
If you would like to manage gout without medications, you can consider implementing the following changes at home:
Aim for a low-purine diet by limiting or avoiding alcohol, red meat, organ meats, seafood and high-fructose foods. Some studies indicate that cherry juice, as well as vitamin C, have a role to play in decreasing the production of uric acid.
Massage can help to stimulate metabolism, improve blood circulation to damaged joints and inflamed muscles, and reduce pain. Depending on the severity of your condition, pain relief may be quick or require multiple massages.
In general, regular exercise like walking is beneficial for gout as it helps to support a healthy weight. A healthy weight is an important factor in gout prevention.
However, if you are having a gout flare in the foot, toe, ankle or knee, it is best to rest until the gout episode resolves before using the affected body part.
A: If you have gout, you should avoid foods that are high in purines. This includes alcohol, red meat, organ meats, seafood and high-fructose foods.
Regular exercise like walking can help to improve gout, as it helps to support a healthy weight – an important factor in gout prevention. However, if you are having a gout flare in the foot, toe, ankle or knee, it is best to rest until the gout episode resolves before using the affected body part.
A: Gout flare-ups can be prevented and controlled through:
A: Yes, gout can affect your heel. Other areas it commonly affects include the big toe, foot, ankle, instep and knee.
Less commonly, it may affect joints of the upper limbs such as the fingers or wrists.
A: If you experience a gout flare-up, you may lessen the pain by:
Note: Avoid taking aspirin as this can make the flare-up worse.
A: Gout medication does not cause acute gout. These drugs are prescribed to treat gout by lowering levels of uric acid in the blood.
You should not stop taking gout medication during an acute flare of gout as it can affect the efficiency of treatment. It is important to comply with your prescribed medication regime and take your medications regularly to prevent future gout flare-ups.
A: Gout flare-ups usually last for about a week. However, left untreated, they can last for a longer time.
It is important to follow the recommended treatment for a gout attack.
Seek medical help if:
Early management of gout can prevent future attacks and permanent damage to your joints.
A: No, a gout flare-up can be intensely painful, but it will not kill you.
Gout is, however, associated with an increased risk of serious health conditions such as:
A: The likelihood of recurring gout attacks varies from person to person. Some people experience attacks frequently, while others only experience attacks once every few years.
Good management of gout is important to reduce the severity and frequency of attacks. Fewer attacks also mean less damage to the affected joints.
A: Gout is a chronic disease, meaning it does not go away on its own. However, with management, the frequency and severity of attacks can be lowered.
An acute gout attack will typically resolve on its own, even without treatment. Treatment is useful in preventing and lowering the frequency and severity of flares.
For enquiries, please call
+65 6250 0000 (Orchard) or +65 6898 6898 (Novena)
For appointment bookings, please WhatsApp
+65 8111 7777 (Orchard) or +65 8111 5777 (Novena)