How You Can Help Your Aging Parent Cope With Gout

While not often a health concern for younger people, gout is a condition that is not uncommon in older people, and while it can be very hard for the person to deal with, understanding what gout is, and what can be done to lessen the affects can help you to help an elderly family member who may be suffering from it.

As an extremely painful type of arthritis, gout can occur when a person’s joints have uric acid accumulate in them. Typically affecting the lower extremity joints such as ankles, knees, or big toes, when an attack of gout occurs, the pain is sudden and debilitating to the person, who may also suffer from a fever at the same time. In addition, the joint may turn red and feel hot.

The length of a gout attack may last a short amount of time (a day or two), but as time goes by and attacks are more frequent, they may last for longer periods of time. If a person has one gout attack, chances are good that others will follow – and eventually, may develop into chronic gouty arthritis, which means that the individual can lose some motion in the affected joint(s).

Being prepared for gout attacks before they happen is the best way to live with the attacks. After a health care provider diagnoses gout, he may prescribe non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs such as indomethacin, naproxen or ibuprofen. For pain relief during the attack, he may prescribe a powerful painkiller such as oxycodone or codeine. He may also choose to prescribe a medication to reduce swelling and inflammation. After your aging parent begins treatment, the symptoms should disappear within a few hours.

If and when gout attacks become more frequent, the doctor may want the person to take a daily dose of a medication that will lessen uric acid levels in your blood. These medications include probenecid and allopurinol. Too much uric acid can also cause the painful onset of kidney stones, so the symptoms of gout should be dealt with immediately.

Living with attacks of gout may also mean that the senior will need to change his/her eating habits. Simply eating healthy foods and avoiding those that are unhealthy is key to preventing more gout attacks. Definitely avoid alcohol and meats – especially organ meats such as liver and kidney. Some seafood should also be avoided, such as sardines and herring. Even some vegetables are on the “avoidance” list, like spinach, asparagus and cauliflower.

Although a high uric acid count in the blood can cause gout, the exact cause of the malady isn’t known. Members of the same family may have gout attacks, and even though it’s more prevalent in males than females, postmenopausal women, those who drink too much alcohol and those taking particular medications can also encounter gout attacks.

Those people who have diabetes, kidney disease, leukemia and other types of blood disorders are also susceptible to attacks of gout. Obesity is a common factor in those who are diagnosed with gout, but fast weight loss diets could be harmful, so if your elderly family member needs to lose weight – encourage them to lose it slowly and by following the proper diet plan.

Have mom or dad see the doctor immediately if you suspect that your aging parent may be having a gout attack and help him/her to begin an immediate plan to prevent further attacks.