Copyright (c) 2010 James Martin

Gout is a painful condition in which excess uric acid in the body crystallizes and gets deposited in joints leading to swelling, redness and stiffness. Gout normally afflicts the big toe, but it can also afflict other joints in the body. What are the ways to get relief from gout pain?

One of the fastest methods of gout pain relief is to take medication for it. However keep in mind that medication might help in easing the pain, but it is not good in the long term. The reason is that most prescription drugs will treat the symptoms and not the condition itself. You might find temporary relief but at what cost? The medicine may lead to negative side effects.

Try to treat gout pain through natural methods. You can even try home remedies using products which are already available in your home. The advantage with trying natural home remedies for gout pain relief is that most of the time there won't be any side effects. Another advantage is that there won't be too much costs involved in such natural treatments.

Natural Methods for Gout Pain Relief:

Try some of these age old remedies for easing gout pain and suffering:

1. Applying Ice - Apply cold packs of ice to the affected joint area for about 15 to 20 minutes. This can help in reducing the swelling and pain.

2. Use Epsom Salt - If gout pain is in the big toe, then try this out - fill a tub with warm water and put 2 cups Epsom salt in it. Then soak your feet until the water loses heat and cools down. This can soothe muscles and provide instant relief from gout pain. It also helps in flushing out toxins from your body. Epsom salt contains magnesium. Increasing magnesium levels can be helpful in improving blood circulation and lowering blood pressure.

3. Charcoal and Flaxseed Paste - Take half a cup of powdered charcoal and mix it with 3 tablespoons of nicely ground flaxseed. Add warm water to this mixture slowly until it becomes something like a paste. Apply this paste on the affected area and cover it with a cloth. You can change the cloth after 3-4 hours. This remedy is helpful not only for gout pain relief, but also for reducing uric acid levels in that area of the body.

Besides trying out the above remedies, you should also be mindful of your diet. Avoid foods with high purine content as they can contribute in increasing uric acid levels in your body. Drink a lot of water everyday as it helps in flushing toxins out of the body.