Fast and effective gout pain relief is foremost in mind for anyone who has experienced the excruciating pain associated with gout. Over 8 million Americans, mostly men, suffer from this painful condition. Inflammation, swelling, pain and redness around the big toe are the most common gout symptoms, although the condition can present itself in other areas of the body.
Natural Remedies for Gout Pain Relief
Many people, while wanting to relieve pain, really don’t want to use prescription drugs because of negative side effects. Here are some of the best natural gout pain relief remedies you can use at home that can provide relief. Using these remedies as a preventive measure against recurring flair ups is also a good idea.
1. Water and Cherry Juice; Not Alchohol
Water
Keeping the body well hydrated by drinking at least 10 glasses of water daily offers effective gout pain relief by encouraging the kidneys to excrete excess uric acid that has built up in the joints.
Unsweetened Cherry Juice
Drinking organic, unsweetened cherry juice or snacking on fresh cherries can also help provide pain relief by reducing the amount of inflammation present and providing the body with healing antioxidants.
Leave off the alcohol
Because consuming alcohol has proven to be a gout attack trigger, it is best to avoid alcoholic beverages while treating gout pain and as a preventive measure.
2. Bicarbonate of Soda
Dissolving a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda, commonly known as baking soda, in a large 8 ounce glass of water and drinking this concoction first thing in the morning and just before bedtime is another effective gout pain relief remedy. It will help to dissolve the build-up of uric acid crystals in the big toe and other affected joints and enable excess uric acid to leave the body more quickly.
3. Alternate Hot and Cold Compresses
Alternating hot and cold compresses can help to increase circulation to areas where pain is most felt. Apply 2 to 3 minutes of heat immediately followed by a minute of ice or cold as often as you need to relieve pain.
4. Celery Seed Extract
A good natural supplement to take that can give gout pain relief is celery seed extract. It is recommended to choose a pharmaceutical grade, high quality supplement and take two tablets twice daily for pain. If you’re measuring your blood uric acid, you may find that it may initially increase because the acid crystals begin to dissolve when taking the supplements. Also, study results indicate that if you quit taking the supplement the pain can reoccur. However, it’s a much better replacement for over the counter medications that can have side effects.
5. Diet Replacement
Modifying your diet to exclude red meat, poultry and shell fish in favor of foods containing high levels of vitamin C, low fat dairy foods and foods containing complex carbohydrates is another effective remedy to implement when seeking fast and efficient gout pain relief. Changing your diet is commonly recommended as a preventive measure for future flare-ups as well.
If you’re one of the many people who are affected by gout pain, using these simple, yet effective pain relief methods can actually work. Even better yet, use preventive measures to avoid developing the disease or to avoid recurring gout attacks by eating a healthy low fat diet, drinking lots of water each day, and avoiding alcohol.
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