Medications in the Treatment of Acute Gout
Acute gout occurs rapidly. The gouty joint becomes red, inflamed and very painful.
In the treatment of gout, patients are always advised to drink less alcohol and eat less meat. Aside from these, there is not much a sufferer can do to stop gout attacks. There are, however, some medications that can be helpful in the treatment of acute gout attacks, which usually occurs out of the blue.
Treatment of acute gout is focused on reducing the intense joint pain and swelling. The typical medications used in the treatment of acute gout are NSAIDs or Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs. Examples of NSAIDs are Clinoril, Daypro, Indocin, Lodine, Motrin, Naprek, Naprelan Orudis, and Voltaren. Doctors prefer to prescribe NSAIDs over other medications because they are proven to be the most effective treatment of acute gout. Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs inhibit prostaglandins, which are substances similar to hormones that expand blood vessels and bring about inflammation as well as pain in the gouty joint. Patients are instructed to take NSAIDs orally three times a day typically for as long as the symptoms of gout persist.
Another medication used in the treatment of acute gout is "colchicine", which is effective in resolving gout pain but has several side effects that are not tolerable to many gout patients such as abdominal cramps, diarrhea, vomiting and nausea. Because of this, doctors consider colchicines only as secondary options in the treatment of acute gout and usually only when NSAIDs are not suitable to the patient.
Doctors may also prescribe corticosteroids (i.e. triamcinolone, prednisone, or prednisolone) and some may be directly injected into the affected muscle or joint for local pain relief. Corticosteroids are seldom used in the treatment of acute gout because they are not as effective as Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs or colchicines. They are typically the last option considered by doctors when neither of the first two medications is suitable to the patient.
Medication treatment usually is enough to relieve acute gout symptoms within two days. Follow-up gout treatment is usually a lifelong endeavor and is focused on the prevention of further gout attacks by managing the blood level of uric acid, controlling it so that its concentration is below the level at which uric acid can crystallize.
Aside from medications, modifying or avoiding risk factors is also critical to the effective treatment of acute gout. Maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding foods that increase uric acid are some of the most practical ways to manage gout and avoid further complications.
