Predicting a gout attack is not possible, but there are some things you can do to prevent it from happening. Leading a healthy lifestyle and having some good habits, can help you prevent future gout attacks for good.
If you would like to know more about this, you can talk to a gout specialist in Brisbane at arthritisCARE or visit a local doctor instead. There are many things to be taken into consideration, and it is important that you understand that lifestyle changes will probably need to be made.
Gout attacks happen suddenly and can cause a lot of pain
Try to not get stressed
A gout attack can be triggered by many things, and stress is one of them. It is impossible to completely get rid of stress, but there are things you could do to simply minimize the stress in your life. If you are going through a gout attack, you should try to focus on other things than pain, as that can help you lower your stress and lower the pain.
Avoid alcohol and certain foods
Drinking alcohol can cause you to have a gout attack, especially if you are drinking beer. Alcohol makes your uric acid level rise, and so do foods that are rich in purine, like shellfish and fatty meats. However, there are also foods that could help you prevent gout attacks, such as cherries, foods rich in vitamin C, coffee, and others. So, know what you can and should not eat.
Get enough sleep and rest
Another important factor to preventing a gout attack is being rested. You should have at least 7-8h of sleep each day, if possible! This can help prevent a gout attack, but it can also help you manage your stress and make you feel better overall. If you do get a gout attack, you should rest the affected joint, and try to focus on something else.
Exercise!
Being physically active can help you lead a healthy lifestyle, but it can also prevent gout attacks in the future. There are many benefits of exercising with gout, as it will help you lose weight, if there is any need for that. People who are overweight are at a higher risk of getting gout, or having attacks often.
Polymyalgia rheumatica
Did you know that the elderly, who have gout, also have a higher risk of developing polymyalgia rheumatica? If your gout is causing other types of symptoms, maybe it is time to talk to your doctor about that as well. You can check out https://arthritiscare.com.au/service/polymyalgia-rheumatica to learn more about this condition.
You could develop other conditions as well
Final word
The most important thing is to simply talk to your doctor. He or she will be able to create a medical treatment that will be tailored to your specific case. Gout can be incredibly painful and it lasts for a long time, if it goes untreated it can cause a lot of permanent damage. So, make sure that you talk to your doctor.