Home Remedies for Gout

Gout Home Remedies to help Eliminate Gout Pain

There are countless gout remedies that any person should be able to use at home. Some of these therapies are preventative and some of them are helpful in reducing the pain if an acute gout attack occurs.

A controversial one is using ice. My husband used to get gout and he used ice and found it was very helpful. He would lightly put the ice on for up to 20 minutes. If you decide to give ice a try, it is important that you limit the ice to 20 minutes at most to avoid frostbite. You should also place a thin towel in between the ice and your skin to avoid freezing your skin. This can cause permanent damage if you do not do this. When using ice, for gout or an injury, try to remember, 20 minutes on, 40 minutes off.

While some people suggest ice, others do not. The reason for this is that cool temperatures can help crystallize the uric acid. This is something we are trying to avoid. Again, the ice will provide some relief, but there is the possibility of future attacks.

Weight loss

Most people with gout tend to be overweight. This double whammy can be due to overweight people eating foods that cause gout and increase weight. Examples would be hamburgers, hot dogs, and bacon. By reducing these types of foods you should lose or at least maintain your weight. This should also help your kidneys not to be overworked which your kidneys are a major factor in whether you can get rid of uric acid properly or not. So anything that is good for kidney health is something you should consider.

Drink Plenty of Water

Speaking of kidney health, it is very important to drink plenty of water in order to maintain healthy kidneys. Kidneys help get rid of excess urates which will help reduce your chances of getting gout. This is the ultimate in home remedies for gout because anyone can drink plenty of water. Many gout patients though are addicted to sodas and need to wean themselves off of sodas as they dehydrate you, thus raising your uric acid concentration and also raising your risk for a gouty episode.

NSAIDs

If you do get a gout attack, you can attack your gout symptoms while at home without taking prescriped medicine. One way is to take an anti-inflammatory such as Aleve (my husband's favorite choice), ibuprofen, or Motrin. Either one works well. Avoid aspirin as this can actually make your gout attack worse. If you must take aspirin due to physicians orders due to heart disease, you may need to take prescriptions. Ask your doctor what should work best for your situation.

Regular exercise

Exercising regularly helps keep your joints in shape and helps reduce weight which are two important factors in keeping gout at bay. Joint health is achieved by helping the collagen eliminate harmful byproducts and this can be accomplished by regular exercise. After seeing your doctor to determine your ability of what type of exercise is safe for your health condition, you should aim to start slow and avoid exercise that creates hard pounding on your joints, such as jogging and aerobics. Swimming is very good for your joints and is one my husband does to help improve his health.

Other natural gout remedies people have used are apple cider vinegar. I have heard people say this has helped them, while others claim there is no scientific evidence this works. The jury is out. Give it a try and see for yourself. It is not harmful for you to do so. It may give you pain relief. You can usually get a good apple cider vinegar at a natural health food store.

As you can see most of these ideas are fairly simple to implement and is based on living a basic healthy lifestyle. If you go slowly you should see the best results. If you do try and do too much, you probably will get a gout attack as you will throw off the percentage of uric acid levels in your body until your body gets used to it's new weight.

Using these therapies a long with herbal gout remedies can not only help ease your pain, they can also help you reduce your uric acid levels and reduce the chances of future gout attacks.

Trish

Herbal Remedies for Gout

Herbal Gout Remedies that Help Get Rid of Gout

There are quite a few excellent herbal remedies you can use to help you get rid of gout. The main factors we are looking at from herbs to help us with gout are herbs that reduce swelling, improve kidney function, and lower uric acid levels.

Herbal Remedies for Gout that Reduce Swelling

Celery seed is a very effective herbal gout treatment. It is an excellent choice because it works on several fronts to help get rid of this painful condition. First of all, it helps to reduce inflammation in your affected joint. Second, celery seed helps your kidneys excrete uric acid more efficiently and helps to alkalize your blood. This important herbal therapy helps you get rid of uric acid because it is a diuretic.

Because this potent herb is a diuretic, you need to make sure you are adequately hydrated. Water is extremely important in maintaining kidney health and function, so make sure you are drinking enough water or eating enough water dense foods.

Celery seed can either be taken as a spice in a food or as an extract. Do not eat the seeds by themselves as they are bitter and hard to ingest.

While celery seed is one of the best herbal remedies for gout, it should be used with **caution**. Although it is rare, there is a very small percentage of people who are allergic to celery. Celery seeds contain oils that can be highly lethal if you have that allergy. This condition is known as anaphylaxis and is similar to those who have allergies to peanuts. While it is unlikely you will have this problem, I feel it is important that you are aware of this potential problem. DO NOT use celery seed or it's extract if you are allergic to celery. It can be deadly!

While mostly men have gout, women can suffer from this painful disease, too. If you are one of these women and you are pregnant, do not use celery seed during your pregnancy. The seeds are able to stimulate the uterus, which raises the possibility of miscarriage or premature birth. If you do not have these two conditions, celery seed should be very helpful for you. It is recommended that you take 35-75mg per day and some naturopaths have suggested as much as 150mg.

Turmeric is another herb you can use to help you treat gout. This works because tumeric helps reduce inflammation. I have used turmeric with decent success. This herb is a member of the ginger family and has many medicinal properties. It has been seen in studies to reduce swelling and inhibit pain receptors, thus lowering your gout pain. The way this works is it is believed that turmeric acts on the adrenal glands. The adrenal gland then makes more cortisol which works on reducing the swelling.

Grape seed extract is an excellent overall herbal therapy and another of these herbal remedies for gout you can use to reduce swelling. It contains bioflavonols which are known to reduce swelling. Grape seed extract is considered safe as a dietary item and is used in Europe for many many diseases because of it's anti-inflammatory effects.

Bilberry is another anti-inflammatory herbal therapy you can use to help get rid of gout. It works because of the anthocyanins which help it reduce swelling in your joints. It can be used as an extract, tea, or dietary supplement. You should use with caution if you are a diabetic as it can lower your blood sugar.

All of these herbal remedies for gout should be used in conjunction with your physician. Especially if you are taking prescription medications. This is to avoid any possible interactions with medications.