Do's and Don'ts to Prevent Gout

Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the feasting season, and at Goldsmith Podiatry, we want to caution our Manhattan patients about a painful condition that can strike after a big holiday meal—Gout. This arthritic disorder occurs when an excess amount of uric acid builds up in the body. Uric acid is produced by breaking down purines naturally present in your body and certain foods. If your body fails to eliminate the extra uric acid, it can crystallize in your joints—most often the big toe joint—causing extreme pain, stiffness, redness, and limiting the toe's range of motion. Below are some dos and don’ts to reduce your risk of a gout attack.

Do: Watch what you eat, especially if you’ve had previous bouts of gout. Certain foods are known to be high in purines and will raise uric acid levels in your body. These include turkey, red meat, organ meat, alcoholic beverages, seafood (shrimp, mussels, trout, and anchovies), rich sauces, and fructose-sweetened desserts and beverages.

Don’t: Overeat. Being overweight increases your chances of getting gout.

Do: Make healthy choices to avoid diseases. People with diabetes, high blood pressure, heart, and kidney disease are all more likely to suffer from gout.

Don’t: Forget to share your list of current medications with your podiatrist. Certain drugs may also be triggers for gout.

Do: Monitor the frequency and severity of your gout attacks. There is medication available to reduce the pain and other symptoms of gout. If you have multiple attacks in a year or your attacks are less frequent but particularly painful, the podiatrist may prescribe a medication that will lower your body's levels of uric acid to reduce the likelihood of future attacks.

Do: Contact our podiatrists, Dr. Howard Goldsmith, Dr. Rosanna Troia, and Dr. Kristina Ruff, at our Upper West Side office by calling 212-877-1002 if you believe you have suffered a gout attack. Gout is not usually a one-time incident. Subsequent attacks may last longer and affect more joints, so diagnosing and treating your condition promptly is essential.