What is gout?
Is a form of arthritis that causes sudden, severe joint pain, typically in the big toe, but it can also occur in other joints, such as the midfoot or ankle. In cases where the inflammation is not as severe, larger joints, such as the knee, can occasionally become swollen and painful.
Who is most affected?
Men, especially as they age, are more susceptible to the condition.
You may also be more likely to develop gout if you are overweight, drink alcohol, have experienced menopause, or take certain medications, such as diuretics (water pills) or blood pressure medications. Have high cholesterol, hypertension, kidney disease, osteoarthritis, or diabetes. Have undergone surgery or sustained an injury.
What are the symptoms?
Pain is one of the main symptoms you may experience along with the joint feeling hot, swollen and the skin turning red over the affected joint.
If the pain is severe and you have a high temperature, such as feeling hot and shivering, or if you feel nauseous or are unable to eat, you may have an infection in your joint. At this point, you will require immediate medical assistance.
What causes a gout attack, and how long does an attack last?
You may experience an attack if you have a fever-causing illness, consume too much alcohol or a very large, fatty meal, become dehydrated, injure a joint, or take certain medications.
Gout attacks typically last between five and seven days before they subside. If you seek treatment right away, it might not result in permanent joint damage.
How to manage Gout episodes
The management of gout will typically involve a combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions.
Gout attacks are commonly treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen to reduce pain and inflammation.
If the pain and swelling do not improve you may be given steroids as tablets or an injection.
Non-pharmaceutical interventions include lifestyle changes such as regular exercise/weight loss, reducing purine intake through diet and reducing alcohol consumption. These all will help to reduce burden of disease related factors associated with gout.
How can a podiatrist help in the manifestation of Gout?
Our podiatrists can help with pain management. To help reduce impairment and the disability that gout may cause in your life, we offer our patients palliative nail and skin care, wound care, advice on appropriate footwear, strap the foot and prescribe foot orthoses to reduce symptoms.
Gout sufferers require supportive footwear that fits their feet comfortably, has a wide opening, is made of flexible materials, and has adjustable straps. Finding shoes that are wide enough, functional for work, and aesthetically pleasing can be one of the main obstacles. Particularly in chronic tophaceous gout, small areas of ulceration are typical of foot ulceration. We are responsible for managing wound care, and we have a duty to our patients to recommend appropriate footwear to lower the risk of foot ulceration in gout patients.
We advise in conjunction with NHS England: