Gout and its painful symptoms affect about 4% of adults in the United States. If joint pain, especially in your big toe, makes everyday activities unbearable, rheumatologist Alan Goldman, MD, offers relief from your symptoms. At Brighton Beach Medical Group in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, Dr. Goldman and the team use the most advanced gout treatments to get you on the road to recovery quickly. Call the New York City office for an appointment today.
Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis that can develop if you have high uric acid levels in your blood that form painful needle-like uric acid crystals in joints. Gout often affects the joint of your big toe, but it can also affect your heels, ankles, knees, elbows, wrists, and fingers.
Because gout is an inflammatory disease, it’s often associated with the following signs and symptoms:
Joint pain associated with gout might be most severe within 4-12 hours after an initial gout attack, but it can linger for several days or weeks.
High levels of uric acid in your body contribute to gout. Anybody can develop gout, but your risk of experiencing it increases if you:
Complications associated with untreated gout can include recurrent gout, advanced gout, joint damage, and kidney stones.
At Brighton Beach Medical Group, Dr. Goldman uses the most up-to-date gout treatments available. He can recommend:
Medications help reduce pain and swelling associated with gout attacks. Medicines can also reduce the level of uric acid in your blood to prevent future attacks.
Certain lifestyle changes can help prevent gout attacks and their symptoms. Examples include limiting or avoiding alcohol, drinks sweetened with fructose, organ meats, red meat, poultry, and seafood. Get protein from low-fat dairy foods instead whenever possible.
Participate in regular exercise and lose weight if you’re overweight or obese. Eat more fruits and vegetables, especially cherries and foods rich in vitamin C, and drink coffee and plenty of water.
Don’t live with gout pain when you don’t have to. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Goldman at Brighton Beach Medical Group by phone or online today.
