Gout And Adrenal Fatigue
At the same time, gout itself has also been more closely linked to stress and thus adrenal function. In fact, a study conducted in the Netherlands in 2018 has positively associated high levels of uric acid with both major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders. In addition, another study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 1970 also found considerable correlation between uric acid levels and cortisol levels in the body.
Hence, it is believed that the disease itself can possibly cause higher stress levels in a person. Because of this, one may also end up suffering from significant hormonal imbalance, and eventually develop adrenal fatigue.
How To Prevent Gout Attacks
Theres nothing you can do about your genetics, but you can make healthy lifestyle changes that may help reduce the likelihood of developing gout. They include:
How Might The Stress Of Covid
Date: 01/21/2021 | Topics : About Gout, Gout Symptoms, Lifestyle Tips for Gout,
For many people, the outbreak of coronavirus is a major source of fear and anxiety.1 If you have gout, the extra stress you may be feeling could affect you in ways you might not expect.2,3 Some folks with the disease are wondering: How might the stress of COVID-19 affect people with gout?
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Limit Alcohol And Stress To Prevent Gout Episode
Gout is a type of arthritis that can involve pain and inflammation of one or more joints. According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, there are 6 million adults over the age 20 who have reported gout.
The disease occurs when your body makes too much uric acid or has trouble getting rid of it. Uric acid is the result of the body breaking down purines, which are found in certain foods and drinks. It is usually eliminated from the body after it dissolves in the blood stream and passes through the kidneys. If this does not happen, uric acid builds up in the blood, and uric acid crystals can be deposited in joints or soft tissue, leading to inflammatory arthritis. Gout is more common in adult men. Drinking in excess, a rich diet and high blood pressure all increase your chances of getting the disease. Certain medicines, like diuretics, aspirin and cyclosporine may also trigger an attack. It is possible to have high levels of uric acid in your blood but not develop gout.
SymptomsFound most often in the large joint of your big toe, gout can also affect other joints, including those at the knees, ankles or wrists. Intense joint pain can occur suddenly along with swelling, which makes the area red, purple or tender. Gout is typically episodic but can become chronic. According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, chronic gout usually develops over years and can mean permanent joint damage.
What Is The Main Cause Of Gout
When it comes to what causes gout, higher levels of uric acid in your body may be caused due to various reasons including obesity, diet pattern, genetic reasons etc. Higher levels of uric acid are also termed as Hyperuricaemia. If you are more than the normal weight, then the fatty tissues in your body also enhance the production of uric acid in your body.
We also get lots of purines through our diet and it has been proven that around 15% of purine is sourced from our diets. Foods that are rich in purines, main gout causing chemicals include red meat, sugary beverages, asparagus, spinach, turkey, beer, herring and scallops.
Our body also produces its own uric acid and normally most of the excess ones are eliminated from our body, but in certain conditions, it is not able to eliminate the uric acid content thus increasing the levels of uric acid in the body. The reason why your body couldnt remove the uric acid may vary including obesity, being diabetic, alcoholic and consuming certain kind of diuretics.
Major factors that cause higher levels of uric acid in your blood include:
- Drinking too much alcohol
- Hypothyroidism
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Crash Diets And Fasting
Doing a crash diet or fasting may be tempting if you need to lose weight to manage gout, but think twice about taking this approach. Ketones in your body increase when you fast or detox, and they compete with uric acid for excretion, which reduces the amount of uric acid that is leaving your body. Try the DASH diet, which has been shown to reduce uric acid levels.
Lifestyle Tips For Gout
How to Live With Gout
Although you cant predict when a gout attack will occur, there are several things you can do to try to prevent an attack. Developing a healthy lifestyle is one of these things.
The lifestyle tips below play a major role in preventing a gout attack. As an added bonus, they may also help prevent some complications of gout such as kidney disease and heart disease.
Also, as part of any healthy diet, you should drink plenty of water. This is particularly important if you have gout since staying hydrated can help flush out uric acid and prevent uric acid crystals from forming.
What stress management techniques work for gout? Try relaxation techniques, such as meditation and deep breathing. A little bit of stress relief can go a long way.
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Who Is Affected By Gout
Gout can affect anyone. It usually occurs earlier in men than women. It generally occurs after menopause in women. Men can be three times more likely than women to get it because they have higher levels of uric acid most of their lives. Women reach these uric acid levels after menopause.
People are more likely to get gout if they have:
- Obesity, or a lot of extra weight.
You are also more likely to develop gout if you:
- Consume a diet high in animal proteins
- Consume a significant amount of alcohol
- Are on water pills .
How Do You Avoid Or Limit Stress
While stress is an integral part of our lives, there are a number of ways to minimize its effect. Low-intensity exercises, meditation, yoga, massage, relaxation techniques or even praying can help. Sometimes, simply talking to a friend or a family member helps reduce stress.
Vitamin B and vitamin C supplementation is also effective in keeping your cortisol levels in check and regulating stress.
Bottom Line: Dont let stress be the cause of gout in your life: Stay physically healthy, consume a good diet of nutrient dense foods and a mental diet of good reading, positive on-screen material, and good music!
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Getting Help If You Need It
Many unknowns lie ahead, but one thing is for sureno one is in this alone. If the stress you feel as a result of the coronavirus pandemic is affecting your health or disrupting your day-to-day life, be sure to contact your doctor or another healthcare professional. He or she can help you get the care you need to stay well and the support you need to cope.
Test Your Gout Knowledge
How much do you know about gout? Take this interesting and informative gout quiz to find out.TAKE QUIZ
NOTE: This article was not written by a medical professional and is not intended to substitute for the guidance of a physician. These are not Hikmas recommendations for gout flare prevention, but rather facts and data collected from various reliable medical sources. For a full list of resources and their attributing links, see below.
What Are Some Foods That Cause Gout
Certain types of food that are high in naturally occurring chemicals called purines are considered to be foods that cause gout. Among the foods that carry the highest risk of causing gout are some types of seafood, such as herring, mussels and sardines, as well as yeast and organ meats such as liver and kidneys. Alcoholic beverages, especially beer, and sugary drinks also can cause gout. Vegetables that are rich in purines were once thought to be among the foods that cause gout, but research has indicated that this might not be true. Dairy products also can contain purines, but their consumption has not been proved to increase the risk of gout and some research has suggested that low-fat dairy products reduce the risk.
About Gout
Gout is a kind of arthritis that occurs when sharp crystal shards of uric acid collect between the joints, causing painful inflammation. Uric acid usually is a neutral but unnecessary chemical that the kidneys filter out of the blood through the urine. People who have gout typically get it because either their body produces too much uric acid or because their body does not do a good job of eliminating it.
Meats
Low-Risk or Beneficial Foods
Other Ways to Combat Gout
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What Else Should I Ask My Healthcare Provider About Gout
Consider asking your healthcare provider:
- What is causing the gout?
- Do I have any joint damage?
- What can I do to prevent future attacks?
- Can any gout medications help me?
- How long will I need to take gout medications?
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Gout is a painful form of arthritis. Extra uric acid in your body creates sharp crystals in the joints, leading to swelling and extreme tenderness. Gout usually starts in the big toe but can affect other joints. Gout is a treatable condition, and the uric acid level can be decreased by medication and lifestyle changes. Talk to your healthcare provider about medications that can reduce uric acid levels. They can also discuss changes you can make to your diet and lifestyle to prevent and reduce gout attacks.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 11/15/2020.
References
So How Do You Avoid Or Limit Your Stress
Exercise, even some moderate exercise like taking a walk will do wonders. Intense or prolonged exercise may increase your cortisol levels besides putting excessive stress on your body low intensity exercise may actually reduce your cortisol levels. You can even meditate, prayer may also help if you are religious, yoga, practicing relaxation techniques and even talking to a friend or family member about what stresses you.
You can also take B complex vitamins supplement which may be effective in regulating stress and keeping cortisol levels in check. Other vitamins that may also help to control your cortisol levels are magnesium and vitamin C. Dont also forget omega 3 fatty acids such as fish oil and herbs may also help reduce cortisol and stress like green tea, valerian and ginseng.
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Warning Signs Of A Gout Flare
Gout flare-ups tend to come on suddenly.
A flare-up will usually occur in one localized areausually the big toe, but it can also affect other joints like the ankles, knees, elbows, wrists, or fingers.
Some symptoms you may experience include:
- Joint pain
- Loss of mobility
When it comes to gout prevention, get to know your familys general medical history.
Genetics plays a big role in your chances of developing gout, so its a good idea to get familiar with your family history of gout.
Other risk factors include:
- Sex: Men are three times more likely than women to develop gout.
- Age: Men over 40 and post-menopausal women are more likely to develop gout.
- Weight: People who are obese are at a greater risk of developing gout.
- Medical conditions: People with high blood pressure, diabetes, insulin resistance, or heart and kidney diseases are at a greater risk of developing gout.
- Alcohol consumption: Alcohol is dehydrating. The risk of developing gout increases as alcohol consumption goes up.
If you have a family history of gout or fall into multiple risk factor groups, discuss prevention with your doctor.
A low-purine diet is typically recommended to help keep uric acid levels in your body low.
Medication That Contribute To Gout
- Diuretics that are prescribed for conditions like hypertension and heart disease contain hydrochlorothiazide, furosemide and metolazone which can trigger gout attacks.
- The immunosuppressive drugs like ciclosporin and tacrolimus can cause gout.
- Cyclosporine when used with hydrochlorothiazide can lead to gout pain. This drug suppresses bodys immune system.
- Levodopa or Laradopa, the drug used to treat Parkinsons disease and some other degenerative diseases can result in gout attack.
- Antiuricosurics, like ethambutol or pyrazinamide, which are used to treat tuberculosis, can affect the process of removal of uric acid from blood by the kidneys.
- Excessive intake of over-the-counter medicines like niacin or ascorbic acid is one of the main causes of gout attacks.
- Prescription medication like theophylline , methyldopa and cisplatin are also considered as instigators of gout.
- Experts believe that excessive consumption of certain drugs like Pyrazinamide, Lotrel, Maxzide, Nadide, Ethacrynic Acid, Dyazide, etc. can result in gout attacks but more research is needed to confirm this belief.
You should always consult your physician and discuss the side effects of medication. It is essential to follow the instructions of the physician religiously. This helps avoid serious health complications.
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How To Know If Your Gout Is Progressing
As you become more familiar with gout symptoms, you may be able to sense that a gout attack is coming on. Worsening of pain, swelling, redness, and warmth of the affected joint during the attack is the sign of progression of that attack, Dr. Meysami says.
In addition, the disease overall may progress with recurrent or more frequent gout attacks with longer duration, the involvement of more joints, and the presence of tophi, Dr. Meysami says.
If you have more than one gout flare a year, its really important to get on a regular gout medication, says Dr. Fields.
What Happens At Your Appointment
The GP may ask about your diet and if you drink alcohol.
They may refer you to see a specialist and arrange a blood test and scan. Sometimes a thin needle is used to take a sample of fluid from inside the affected joint, to test it.
The blood test will find out how much of a chemical called uric acid there is in your blood.
Having too much uric acid in your blood can lead to crystals forming around your joints, which causes pain.
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What Kind Of Stress
Or is the question really, where does stress come from? This is always a bad question to ask me. But more on that in a minute.
What is the most important thing to take into consideration is that we all sort of think that stress comes from some thing or some where outside of us . . . not true Ke-mo sah-bee. This is whats going to blow you mind do you know what the biggest source of stress is? Ready for this? Drum roll! Its
- SUGAR!
Haha! And you thought it was your boss!
How To Prevent Stress
I wont waste your time here by explaining that you must do something in order to fight stress. It is an individual matter which must be taken into account seriously. The best thing what you can do is to visit a therapist. He will help you manage stress.
This is perfectly normal if we know that all of us are under a huge amount of stress per a day. There is no other solution, so you should go for it as soon as possible. By reducing stress, you will reduce the risk of a gout attack and other types of arthritis.
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