Does Gout Require Medical Treatment?

Gout is a type of arthritis, once called the “disease of kings” because it was often triggered by rich food and drink that only the wealthy could afford.

It occurs when uric acid, a normal waste product, isn’t properly excreted in the urine but builds up as crystals within the joint space and damages the tissue.

At Chicagoland Foot and Ankle, our team of board-certified foot and ankle specialists treat gout in our patients in and around Chicago, Illinois. We can help you manage the condition in a number of ways, but does it require medical treatment.

Here’s what our experts have to say.

More about gout

Gout is a form of arthritis that often produces sudden pain and swelling in a single joint at a time, most often starting in the big toe.

Uric acid is a natural waste product that travels through the bloodstream to the kidneys, which filter it out. But if your levels get too high from the food and drink you consume, or if your kidneys can’t remove enough of it, urate crystals form, settling in the joint space and causing pain, swelling, and redness in the area.

Men have a higher risk for gout than women. And foods rich in purines (e.g., red meat, organ meats), high alcohol intake, and drugs like immunosuppressants and diuretics can all raise your risk of developing the condition.

Gout symptoms

The primary symptoms of gout include pain, swelling of the joint, redness of the affected area, and heat radiating from it.

When gout symptoms get worse, it’s known as a flare. A person may experience a sudden flare of symptoms that can last for days or weeks. Once the flare passes, there may be a period of remission before the next flare hits.

If you don’t get medical treatment, the flares may happen more frequently and last longer, and lumps under the skin called tophi stones may develop. Tophi stones are fueled by uncontrolled uric acid levels. They may become quite painful and damage the joints by their presence.

Does gout require medical treatment?

Why are we asking this if we just said you need to get medical treatment? It’s because you can make a difference on your own with lifestyle and dietary choices.

Usually doctors recommend a combination of prescription medication to lower uric acid levels and prevent flares and tophi stones, and lifestyle changes to manage the high levels of purines.

As for self-care, the biggest impact you can have is by limiting your consumption of purines, especially:

Alcohol, particularly beer and hard liquor
Sugary foods and drinks
Red meats and organ meats (e.g., liver, spleen)
Some seafood, including anchovies, sardines, tuna, trout, mussels, and scallops

On the other hand, low-fat dairy products like milk and yogurt may lower uric acid levels and help prevent gout flare-ups.

You should also engage in moderate-intensity physical activity for at least 150 minutes per week. That’s about 30 minutes a day, five days a week.

Do you want to learn more about treating gout? Our team at Chicagoland Foot and Ankle can help. To get started, book online or call us at any of our locations — the Mount Greenwood and Portage Park areas of Chicago, as well as Orland Park and New Lenox, Illinois.