Gout is an all too common problem amongst older folk. It can be very painful in many cases, and it can even make walking impossible in extreme cases. It can be preventable in some cases, but knowing the warning signs for this condition is only part of the solution. You also need to know what can trigger flare ups and what you can do to prevent them, especially if you are at risk of gout. Elder care professionals should know these things and what small part they can do to help the people they care for on a daily basis.
First, we must address the most basic question. What is gout? It’s a natural occurrence when uric acid levels are too high in your bloodstream. It can cause painful swelling and inflammation in your joints, especially in the ankles. It is sometimes referred to as a type of arthritis since it has many similar symptoms and attributes. Men are usually more prone to developing this, but women are definitely not immune from it.
Next, what can you do to prevent gout? There are a few really easy things. A diet that cuts back on cholesterol and fat can help. This will help you to accomplish a few things. One, it helps you lose weight, which is good for your all around health. Some people take natural supplements to help manage their symptoms, as well. In the middle of experiencing symptoms, ice is a great idea as it can help reduce swelling and helps your body to recover faster. Hydration levels have also been shown to help reduce the amounts of uric acid concentration within your blood, but this is more of a prevention thing than an active treatment method during a flare up.
Exercise poses a problem for many. Working out with joint inflammation will only make the joint worsen in condition and become more painful. Exercise can and will help though, you just need to wait until the pain and swelling has gone away before you work on building strength back up slowly so as not to cause worse swelling in the future. It will be a long road, but mixing some light strength building in with your other routines will help contribute to lessening symptoms later on. Some people think that exercise will help break up uric acid crystals faster, but this is not true, according to many professionals.
Please note, there are medications out there that can control uric acid levels and thus cut back on gout symptom severity, but some people do not like the side effects associated with them. There are natural ways, such as diet control, to help, though. Whatever you do decide to do, always do it under the guidance of a medical professional. Your in-home caregiver should be able to help support whatever advice the doctor gives you and keep you on track toward controlling your symptoms or even total prevention. Having a good system of communication between what your medical professional team advises and how your in-home caregiver helps you out from a day to day perspective will only help you more and live a more pain free life.
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