Gout is a common phenomenon, especially in middle age. Men are more prone to gout than women. Women develop gout usually after menopause. Gout is a rare occurrence in the younger population. The gout pain often fares up at night and sometimes becomes painful enough to wake people up. Gout has no cure, but it is possible to treat and manage the symptoms with self-management strategies.

Most Causes of Gout

 Too much uric acid or urate in the body forms crystals. These crystals get accumulated in the joints, causing symptoms like swelling, stiffness, and pain. The factors listed below may increase your chances of developing gout: 

• A family history of gout 
• Usage of alcohol 
• Increasing age- more common in older people  
• Gender- males 
• Obesity  
• Consuming beverages with high fructose content, for example, soda 
• Eating foods rich in purines. Purines are broken down into uric acid. Foods rich in purines include meats and seafood like sardines, scallops, anchovies, trout, mussels, and tuna. 

Symptoms of Grout

Gout can make life difficult for people. If you are suffering from gout, you might experience symptoms like:  

• Redness and swelling in the joints 
• Severe joint pain 
• Stiffness in the joints  
• Tenderness and heat at the joints³ 

1. Agastya

Agastya is a plant known as West Indian pea or august flower in English. It has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. You can use the root and bark of the Agastya plant to make a paste. You can apply this paste externally to relieve the pain and swelling associated with gout.

 2. Castor

Castor leaves, or Arand is a herbal remedy effective in many health conditions. You can also use Castor leaves to relieve swelling and pain in the joints. To use castor leaves, make a paste using mature leaves. To this paste, add a little amount of crystal salt. 

2. Asvagandha

Asvagandha, or Indian ginseng, is a potent herb with many health benefits. Asvagandha intake can help you increase your energy and strength. The benefits of asvagandha might help you manage gout. To use asvagandha, you can mix asvagandha powder with kapikacchu and black sesame seeds.

3. Alsi

Alsi or linseed seeds have many medicinal benefits. Alsi seeds possess pain-relieving properties when applied topically to the skin. Soak some alsi seeds in buttermilk through the night. Use these soaked seeds to make a fine paste the following day. You can apply this paste to the affected joints when required.

4. Healthy Diet

Following a more nutritious diet plan can help you live a better life. Eating foods rich in purines may trigger a gout flare. You can avoid foods such as organ meat, red meat, and seafood. You also need to avoid alcohol intake, especially hard liquor and beer.

5. Physical Exercise

To manage arthritis, it is recommended that adults engage in at least 150 minutes of physical activity every week. Every minute of physical activity is valuable. The exercises recommended are moderate to low impact, for example, walking, biking, and swimming. Doing regular physical exercise will also help you avoid the risk of other health conditions like diabetes, stroke, and heart diseases.

6. Maintaining Healthy Body Weight

If you are overweight or obese, losing weight will help reduce the pressure on your joints, especially hip and knee joints. You can try maintaining a healthy body weight to improve your symptoms. Healthy body weight will relieve pain, improve overall functioning, and lower the disease progression.

7. Protect From Injury

Getting joint injury while you have gout will worsen your condition. Try engaging in activities that do not put much pressure on the joints. Engaging in easier activities like cycling, walking, and swimming can help you prevent the worsening of your symptoms and prevent further damage.