Preventing Gout
Avoid a future rendezvous with gout
You've had your first, or perhaps your second bout with gout. If your
attacks are frequent or especially painful your doctor might want to prescribe
further medication to prevent a recurrence. You might also consider whether it
might be prudent to make certain lifestyle changes to stave off future rendezvous
with the intense pain of gouty arthritis.
Two routes to take
In terms of preventative gout medication there are two basic routes to
take. There are medications that block uric acid production, effectively
removing the cause of gout before it occurs. There are also medicines that
improve and hasten the removal of excess uric acid from your bloodstream and
body. You and your doctor will want to carefully consider these treatment
options to see which one might be right for you.
Allopurinol is an effective medicine that blocks the production of urate
acid. Some of the common brand names for allopurinol are Aloprim and Zyloprim. These
drugs limit the amount of uric acid your body produces. Blocking the production
of uric acid can give your body time to rid itself of excess uric acid, which
is the primary cause of gout. Lowering uric acid levels and limiting production
is the way to reduce further attacks of gout. These medications can have side
effects such as lowering blood counts, and causing rashes.
Probenecid improves your body's ability to remove excess uric acid from
your body, so that levels can't build and create the sharp, needle-like
crystals of uric acid that form around the joints causing gouty arthritis. Probenecid
works with your kidneys to help you flush out uric acid. However, while you may
be removing uric acid from your system, Probenecid acts to increase uric acid
within the urine. Increased uric acid in the urine is associated with higher
risk of kidney stones. Other than the chance of getting kidney stones,
Probenecid can cause a rash or stomach pain.
There are no specific foods to clear out uric acid from the system, but
there are foods that are high in purines, the substance that when metabolized
turns into the uric acid that is the cause of gout. It would seem prudent to
avoid the ingestion of such foods as a way to reduce your chances of further
gout attacks. Cut back on red meat and alcohol consumption, eat more low-fat dairy
products, and include more complex carbohydrates in your diet, such as whole
grain bread.