Is your knee pain caused by gout? This form of inflammatory arthritis can be very painful when it flares up. Gout can impact your mobility and quality of life, as the attacks of joint pain can be severe and unpredictable. Thankfully, you can get treatment for gout in the knee from pain specialists in North Carolina. Before we discuss knee gout treatment, it’s essential to first explain the causes and symptoms of this common condition.
Potential Causes of Gout
Gout is caused by hyperuricemia, a condition that occurs when there’s too much uric acid in the body. Uric acid is produced when the body breaks down purines, which can be found in human cells and foods such as organ meat, red meat, and some seafood. Built-up uric acid can eventually form urate crystals, which can accumulate in the joints and cause the painful flares we call gout.
The cause of gout comes down to the amount of uric acid in your body, which can be influenced by several factors. Some medications raise uric acid in your blood, including many used to manage high blood pressure. Gout is also more common in men and those with a high-purine diet, diabetes, and/or psoriasis.
Symptoms of Gout
Gout tends to affect one joint at a time. The big toe joint is most common, but many people develop gout in their knees. Gout symptoms will vary somewhat based on where you have it and how advanced the condition is. That said, the usual symptoms of gout in the knee include:
- Intense pain that is sudden and severe
- Swelling in and around the knee
- Inflammation and redness
- A warm sensation around the knee
- Tenderness and discomfort
- Limited mobility
These symptoms typically occur at night and get worse during flares, which can last as long as a few hours to several days. The length of your gout flares depends primarily on whether you suffer from acute gout or chronic gout. In between flares, you may be in remission and have no symptoms whatsoever.
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Treatments for Gout
So, how do you treat gout in the knee? There are many options out there for gout in knee treatment. Though the condition can’t be cured, the severity and regularity of the flares can be managed with everything from over-the-counter medication to physical therapy. If you opt to take medication for your gout, your doctor will likely prescribe some type of anti-inflammatory drug.
There are home remedies for managing gout as well, such as changing your diet to limit purine-rich foods like red meat and alcohol. You can also seek professional help at the Carolinas Pain Center. We offer a wide variety of treatment options for gout in the knee. This includes prolotherapy, physical therapy, steroid injections, and much more.
FAQs About Gout
How do you know if you have gout in your knee?
You might have gout in the knee if you experience flare-ups in the joint that cause some combination of pain, swelling, tenderness, and redness. To determine if you have gout, a doctor may administer a joint fluid test or blood test to check your uric acid levels (usually after ruling out other possible causes).
What triggers gout in the knee?
Gout flares can be triggered by diet, underlying health conditions, family history, dehydration, arsenic exposure, previous knee injuries, stress, major weather changes, and more.
How long does gout last in the knee?
A gout flare-up may only last a few hours, though they typically last for three days with treatment and up to 14 days without.
Should I walk with gout?
Walking can be good for people with gout in between flares. If you’re in the midst of a gout attack, however, walking could worsen your symptoms and prolong the episode. Please consult a doctor before radically changing your exercise routine.
Does a knee brace help with gout?
A knee brace or compression sleeve can relieve gout-related knee pain by providing support, comfort, and stability to the joint.
Will gout go away on its own?
Even without treatment, gout attacks typically go away on their own within days or weeks. The condition itself can’t be cured, so attacks will reoccur if you forego treatment. If you want to try and keep the condition in remission, some form of treatment is key.
How long does gout take to heal?
Gout is not a condition you can necessarily heal from. You can, however, keep it in remission and live a normal life through treatments that lower your uric acid levels.
Receive Professional Treatment for Gout in Charlotte, NC
Whether you’ve been diagnosed early or are a longtime sufferer of advanced gout, the team at Carolinas Pain Center is here to help you. With our multidisciplinary and individualized approach, we’ve created effective personal treatment plans for people with gout throughout North Carolina.
Our personalized plans include combinations of physical therapy, steroid injections, and other tested treatment options for lessening symptoms and keeping gout in remission. Please don’t hesitate to make an appointment or call 704-500-2332 if you have any questions.
