Can A Chiropractor Help with Gout?

What is gout?

Gout is an extremely painful form of arthritis that can lead to long-term consequences for your overall health. Symptoms can arise without any warning, and they can stick around for weeks or even years. Gout tends to impact the big toe, but it can also occur in other joints as well, like your knees, ankles, fingers, and other toes.

Symptoms can include:

Intense and sudden pain
Joint discomfort that lingers even after the severe pain subsides
Inflammation or redness in the affected joint(s)
Joint stiffness

Gout is most commonly found in men between the ages of 30 and 50, but it can affect people of all ages.

Can a chiropractor really help with gout?

Chiropractic care is often overlooked as a treatment for gout sufferers, but it can be an effective way to manage symptoms of gout. Chiropractors help ensure your body functions properly and optimally by using spinal manipulations to relieve pain in joints and muscles. Chiropractors can also help by giving you advice on how your diet and lifestyle affects your gout symptoms.

Some chiropractors may offer therapeutic massages or bodywork to further try to relieve gout pain. Massages work by helping to increase your blood flow, allowing for better circulation. This can be helpful as those who have gout often have poor blood circulation. Keeping your blood circulation regulated may help reduce some pain and inflammation.

Why not just take medication?

Many medications that are prescribed to treat a condition like gout can, unfortunately, come with negative side effects such as headaches, nausea, rashes, and elevated blood pressure. Visiting a chiropractor can help you manage your gout symptoms without serious side effects.

What else can I do to help reduce gout attacks?

Though there isn't necessarily a cure for gout, there are things you can do to help manage your symptoms and reduce the severity and frequency of gout attacks:

stay active
stay hydrated
avoid alcohol
avoid foods high in purines
get enough sleep
take a daily supplement

Gout isn't fun, but following these tips may help you get a little bit closer to minimizing or eliminating pain and improving your mobility.

**Chiropractic care is not recommended for those who have severe arthritis, herniated disks, or those who are at an increased risk for stroke.

Be sure to talk with your doctor before seeing a chiropractor.

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