Gout can cause excruciating pain. In this condition, uric acid builds up in the bloodstream until the crystals precipitate out in a joint and cause swelling, redness and extreme tenderness. While doctors can prescribe medications to calm the inflammation and relieve gout pain, not everyone tolerates them well. Are there nondrug approaches to controlling gout?
How Can You Relieve Gout Pain?
Q. I have struggled for several years with gout. Some of the episodes have been severe.
Multiple medications have had unwanted side effects. The home remedies that are usually recommended such as cherry juice or celery seed did not help much.
I stumbled on organic apple cider vinegar, which has provided by far the most benefit. I take a couple tablespoons in a glass of water three times a day and the result is amazing. I have not read about this remedy anywhere, but it keeps my gout at bay.
Non-Drug Approaches to Relieve Gout Pain:
A. Thank you for sharing your intriguing story. We searched high and low for some scientific evidence that would support using apple cider vinegar for gout. We couldn’t find any, but there are testimonials on the web.
Other Natural Remedies to Relieve Gout Pain:
Some people have found that celery seeds, tart cherries or juice and a DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stopping Hypertension) diet can be helpful for gout. Another reader asked about these:
Q. Are there any natural approaches for relieving gout? Please help! This attack has put me down for now and I don’t like it. I am taking allopurinol that my doctor prescribed, but it is not working fast enough. Labor pains weren’t this bad!
Natural Remedies for Gout:
A. There are a few natural products that can help lower uric acid in the body. During a gout flare-up, uric acid crystals precipitate into the joints and cause the excruciating pain you are experiencing.
Sour Cherries:
Perhaps the favorite natural remedy to lower uric acid is tart cherries. Fresh, frozen or dried cherries, cherry juice or Montmorency cherry extract all seem to do the job. Healthy women who eat cherries have lower uric acid levels in their blood (Jacob et al, Journal of Nutrition, June 2003). Even consuming sweet cherries seems to lower inflammation (Kelley et al, Journal of Nutrition, April 2006). There don’t appear to be any clinical trials of sour cherries for gout, however.
Celery Seed:
Another natural product that may help is celery seed. Celery is rich in luteolin, a compound that slows the production of uric acid (Yan et al, Food Chemistry, Dec. 15, 2013). Green peppers also contain luteolin and could be beneficial.
Diet Offers Natural Remedies for Gout:
Losing weight is a long-term strategy that might be helpful for some folks. Including nonfat milk and low-fat yogurt and avoiding high-purine foods like meat and seafood can help with prevention (Schlesinger, Current Pharmaceutical Design, 2005). People with gout who avoid or reduce their consumption of beer and other alcoholic beverages often do better.
DASH Diet:
The Health Professionals Follow-up Study collected data on 44,444 men over 26 years. During that time, those who followed a dietary pattern similar to the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) were about 30 percent less likely to experience an initial gout attack (Rai et al, BMJ, May 9, 2017). A Western-style diet with abundant processed meats, sweets, French fries and desserts raised the risk for gout. People starting a DASH diet have lower uric acid in their blood within a month (Tang et al, Clinical Rheumatology, June 2017).
Learn More:
If you need guidance on how to follow a DASH diet, you’ll find it in our book, The People’s Pharmacy Quick & Handy Home Remedies.
To learn more details about these remedies and other natural approaches to healing, you may wish to read our Guide to Favorite Home Remedies. This online resource is available in the Health Guide section of the store at www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.
