Other Treatments for Gout

June 10, 2008 - 7:30am

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Other Treatments for Gout

Guidelines for Managing Gout Pain

During a gout attack, the following measures can help relieve the pain:

Putting a warm pad or ice pack on the affected joint
Keeping the weight of clothes and bed covers off the affected joint
If possible, avoid moving or placing any pressure on the affected joint

When to Contact Your Doctor

The above treatments can help ease the pain of a gout attack. Drug treatment is usually needed to treat a gout attack and prevent recurrences. A gout attack is best treated as soon as possible to limit the severity of the attack and help prevent permanent joint damage. Contact your doctor immediately if:

You think you may be experiencing a gout attack for the first time
You have had gout attacks before, but your prescribed treatment does not control this attack quickly
Your symptoms worsen, do not improve or keep coming back

References:

American Academy of Family Physicians website. Available at: http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home.html .

American College of Rheumatology website. Available at: http://www.rheumatology.org/ .

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases website. Available at: http://www.niams.nih.gov/ .

The Merck Manual of Medical Information. 17th ed. Simon and Schuster, Inc; 2000.

Last reviewed February 2009 by ]]>Jill D. Landis, MD]]>

Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.