Gout 101

To quickly relieve gout, you can try drinking lots of water, taking pain medication, and elevating and icing the affected joint. You can also try making dietary changes to reduce your risk of future gout attacks. 

Hydration

• Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day, and increase to 16 glasses if you're having a flare 

• Drinking water helps dilute uric acid in your bloodstream and flush it out of your system 

• Drinking water before a gout flare may reduce the intensity and frequency of attacks 

Pain medication

• Take over-the-counter pain medication like ibuprofen

• For severe attacks, you may need a prescription from a doctor or gout specialist 

Ice and elevation 

• Apply ice to the affected joint to reduce pain and swelling

• Elevate the swollen joint

Dietary changes

• Limit or avoid alcohol and drinks with high fructose corn syrup!

• Reduce your intake of foods high in purines, like red meat, organ meats, and seafood

• Eat more cherries, cherry juice, or cherry supplements

• Eat more dairy products, like yogurt, milk, and cheese 

Other lifestyle changes Exercise regularly and Maintain a healthy body weight.