Home remedies for gout pain

In addition to certain foods which are good for people with high uric acid in their bodies, there are three therapies which can help relieve your joint pain at home:

• Pharmacotherapy: Pharmacotherapy, also known as drug therapy, is the therapy where medications are used to treat a disease. Over-the-counter drugs like ibuprofen and paracetamol seldom work for gout pain. Your doctor may prescribe medications like etoricoxib, naproxen, piroxicam and indomethacin for relieving pain related to gout.
• Heat therapy: Heat therapy, medically called thermotherapy, involves the application of heat in various forms which helps in improving the elasticity of collagen tissues, decreases the stiffness in the joints, relieves pain and muscle spasms, reduces inflammation and edema, increases blood flow and promotes faster healing.
• Cold therapy: Cold therapy, medically called cryotherapy, involves the application of cold compressions over the affected areas which helps in reducing edema and inflammation, reduces pain and muscle spasm, reduces the activity of the nerve that is causing pain and reduces the temperature of that area.

Read more: High Uric Acid in the Blood

A study conducted to see the effects of lemon juice on the levels of uric acid in gout patients showed it can reduce the levels of serum uric acid in the body within six weeks. This helped in reducing the gout pain in these patients. It further improved the levels of serum creatinine and GFR (glomerular filtration rate), which means the kidneys were working well, too.

Here's how you can use lemon juice for pain relief:

Ingredients:

• Freshly squeezed juice of two lemons
• Two litres of drinking water

Method:

• Add the lemon juice to two litres of water.
• Sip this throughout the day.
• Do this every day for at least six weeks.

Turmeric is rich in curcumin which is an active anti-inflammatory agent and can help in reducing the inflammation of the joints affected by gout. A study done on mice showed that nanoparticles of turmeric have the potential to reduce the levels of serum uric acid in the body, thus reducing the pain.

Read more: What to eat and what to avoid in gout

Bananas have a low purine content so they do not add up to the uric acid levels in the blood. They are also rich in vitamin C and thus can help with cutting down the uric acid. Fruits like bananas, apples, berries should be eaten in moderation if you have high uric acid in the blood or gout.

Red meat and seafood - particularly shellfish, scallops, mussels, herring, mackerel and coldwater fish like tuna, salmon and trout, contains a high amount of purine in them which has the ability to turn into uric acid. Thus fish should be avoided if you have gout as it can increase your uric acid levels and pain.

The pain of gout can be debilitating. But some home remedies like hot compress, the application of cold compress and including anti-inflammatory foods like ginger and turmeric in the diet can help in pain management.

People with arthritis and gout should also do light exercises daily, to maintain joint mobility and range of motion. All this should be done in addition to taking the medicines prescribed by your doctor.