Gout (also referred to as gouty arthritis) is a debilitating form of arthritis caused by the buildup of uric acid crystals in the joints, surrounding tissues and tendons. It is an intensely painful disease that results from an increased uric acid concentration in the bloodstream (academia). First gout attacks most often affect the big toe (gout toe), some of the symptoms may include swelling, redness, inflammation and excruciating pain if touched or rubbed against, gout can also affect many other joints such as the ankle, knee, wrist, fingers, and spine. Secondary attacks of gout are usually isolated to one joint and last a few days; later attacks of gout can involve several joints at once or occur in succession and last for weeks if untreated.
Cold laser therapy or low level laser therapy (photobiomodulation) has been clinically shown to cut down the length of a gout toe attack, and other forms of gouty arthritis. Cold level laser therapy has been proven affective in treating a variety of other inflammatory conditions and musculoskeletal disorders. This pain free and heatless treatment normally consists of three sessions averaging around 10 to 60 minutes depending on the type of treatment being applied. Patients have stated a significant pain reduction after their first visit. In this therapy the patient is exposed to low level laser light or light emitting diodes, these are used to stimulate or inhibit cellular function. The light or photon energy that is produced has the unique property of being able to penetrate two inches below the skin increasing cellular metabolism with no tissue damage occurring.
The FDA has currently ruled that low level laser therapy is safe and a warning that protective eyewear is needed. Low level laser is currently used to treat a range of painful conditions such as inflammation of the tissues and joints from arthritis, backpain, and various sports injuries. If you are suffering from gout toe or from another form of arthritis and seeking gout relief, it is highly recommended that you contact your doctor first or other qualified professional, before attempting cold level laser therapy at home or any other home remedies for gout relief. Fully understanding gout and why it occurs is key to preventing future attacks. Find out more about gout toe by visiting Immediate Gout Relief.
When people suffer from gout toe there is a range of gout symptoms that usually accompany it, burning, extremely painful to the touch, inflammation, all of these are signs of a gout attack. In most cases of gout arthritis attacks the big toe is more often the target. In fact there is no single type of joint inflammation (arthritis) related to gout. Gout toe is not limited to just the big toe it can include the smaller toes. Gouty arthritis can seem to spread to other parts of the foot causing inflammation, Gout can affect both feet at the same time but it’s not as common as an attack on just one side of the body.
Some the other areas of gout attacks can include the base of the big toe, arch of the foot, the ankle, and the knee. Gout can also affect the thumbs, fingers, wrists, and elbows. When an attack of gout toe occurs walking can become very difficult do to the fact that the big toe carries a portion of the body’s weight. A normal everyday routine we all take for granted, such as walking turns into an extremely painful task. This creates another problem, as we walk to compensate for an inflamed toe we put added stress on other parts of our feet leading to other foot disorders.
Gout toe is a result of excessive amounts of uric acid in the bloodstream. These increased levels of uric acid turn into uric acid crystals that lodge in the cartilage and soft tissues surrounding the joints and in the joints of the body itself. These sharp crystals irritate the surrounding areas causing inflammation, pain, and redness associated with an acute gout attack.
Elevated levels of uric acid (hyperuricemia) can result from high consumption of purine-rich foods. Diet is one factor that can contribute to high levels of uric acid. When trying to avoid purine-rich foods some examples to steer clear from would include: sweetbreads, sardines, anchovies, liver, beef kidneys, brains, meat extracts, herring, mackerel, scallops, and game meats. Other factors to consider when addressing diet would be water intake. Having sufficient amount of water daily will help the bodies natural function of passing excess uric acid out of the body via way of the urinary track. The average adult should drink eight ounces of water eight times a day (8 x 8 rule).
For gout toe relief some simple steps to alleviate the discomfort should include: using an ice pack to help reduce swelling and burning, switching over to heat is also a benefit as this will help dissolve the uric acid crystals lodged in the joint. The best way to overcome a gout attack would be to change your lifestyle to prevent an attack from ever occurring or lowering the frequency of the attacks. Changes in diet and a daily exercise routine have been proven to help in your overall health and to help with gout relief.
