Get Ready for Gout Season
It’s the most wonderful time of the year for feasting with friends and family, but at Goldsmith Podiatry, that means we’re on the alert for more cases of gout. Gout is an arthritic condition triggered by an excess of uric acid in the body that crystallizes in the joints—most often the big toe joint—causing excruciating pain. What’s the connection between festive food and this uncomfortable foot problem? When purines, a chemical that occurs naturally in your body and certain foods, break down, uric acid is a byproduct. Many of the foods and beverages that are high in purines feature prominently on holiday menus. These include:
Shellfish, like shrimp, clams, lobster
Red meat
Organ meats such as liver, kidney, etc.
·Rich sauces
Red wine
Beer
Brandy
Many of our Manhattan patients first discover they have gout when they wake in the middle of the night with extreme throbbing pain in their toe after consuming a rich meal containing some of the above foods.
Treatment Options
If you suspect you’ve suffered a gout attack, our podiatrist, Dr. Howard Goldsmith, Dr. Rosanna Troia, and Dr. Kristina Ruff will examine the affected joint and get some medical history to see if anyone in your family has had gout. They may also order x-rays and laboratory tests to rule out other disorders that may exhibit similar symptoms and inflammation.
If gout is confirmed, the podiatrist may treat it in one or more of the following ways:
Immobilizing and elevating the foot to give it a rest and reduce swelling
Oral medications or injections to treat the pain and inflammation
Increasing fluid intake
Restricting dietary triggers and alcoholic beverages
Gout symptoms will usually subside within 3-10 days of treatment. For some people, this can be a recurring problem. However, in which case, a preventive maintenance regimen will need to be determined by the podiatrist.
If you have concerns about gout, contact our Upper West Side office by calling 212-877-1002 to schedule an appointment.