Gout Medication - the Good, the Bad and the Side Effects

The severity of a patients gout and family history with gout will weigh greatly on the method used for treating the symptoms and avoiding future bouts with the painful condition. Among the treatments that are offered are gout medication, lifestyle changes, diet modifications and surgery.

Gout causes extreme pain that can last a few days and virtually leave a person crippled during an attack. Steroids are often prescribed to immediately relieve the pain. Steroids will alleviate the pain because they have the ability to reduce the inflammation and the swelling fairly quickly.

Although steroids do not have the best reputation, they can still be very beneficial for many medical conditions. Generally when a doctor decides to prescribe a steroid to treat your gout he or she will likely give you small doses over a very short period of time.

In cases of gout that are less severe a doctor might feel the need to only prescribe an anti-inflammatory medication. This will act the same as a steroid as far as bringing the inflammation down to relieve the pain. It is possible your doctor will prescribe you pills to take when you feel an attack coming on or you might be able to have an injection directly into the joint.

Here is a list of the typical medications doctors prescribe for gout:

• NSAIDs (nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs)
-Naproxen
-Indomethacin
- Ibuprofen

• Colchicine is another medication that is used occasionally for treating acute gout attacks.

• Corticosteroids can be either injected into the muscle or the joint itself, or it can be given in a pill form. This is usually given after other medications that have not worked on a patient.

Before you attempt to use over the counter medications to treat your gout you should consult with your doctor. Some over the counter medications can make the gout even worse, such as aspirin. Your doctor will give you a list of over the counter medications you can take that will not interfere with any existing medications or the gout.

In addition to a gout medication you should make sure you are not eating foods that are high in purines. Controlling and managing gout requires more than taking a prescription, you should modify your diet to exclude foods that are high in purines. Exercise regularly and avoiding alcohol are more ways you can minimize your gout attacks and successfully manage your gout.