Gout pain can become unbearable if not treated properly. It might be an activity which requires a change in the lifestyle and also proper medications. There are some basic steps to get relief from an acute gout attack. First and foremost, one should put an ice pack on the affected area and drink more water. Sometimes stress can also be a cause of gout attack, so one needs to keep patience.  With the increase in age, the pain gets more unbearable, and the chances of getting gout attacks are high. So a proper maintenance of lifestyle is very important along with regular doctor checkups and proper body examinations.

Normally a gout attack stays for a week and then it goes away, sometime it may take more than a year. But even after getting relief after a gout attack, it may come back later sometime. So it is important to consult a doctor for further treatment and to maintain the lifestyle required to fight the pain. Some of the medicines often prescribed by doctors are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for quick relief from pain and swelling of the foot. If such medicines can be taken within 24 hours, they can be very effective. Also, there are corticosteroids, which can be both injected or consumed directly. It can be injected directly if other medicines fail to do the job. Normally, it also starts working within 24 hours after taking them.

A 2000-year-old technique used to get relief from gout pain is the cochicine. It is obtained from plants. Just like all medicines used for treating gout, cochicine is also very effective and is still a popular remedy to fight the pain. An increase in the level of the uric acid in the blood is one of the main causes of a gout attack. So it is important to control the level of uric acid in the blood. After the first attack, many doctors start medications to control the further rise of uric acid in the blood to prevent a further gout attack. Some of the medicines prescribed lower the level of uric acid in the blood. This reduces the production of uric acid. Such medicines are often prescribed in low doses in the initial stages and can be increased with the rise of uric acid. Along with proper antibiotics, such medicines can be consumed daily for better effectiveness. There are certain oral drugs prescribed along with inhibitors to increase the effect of the medication on gout attacks. Apart from the prescribed medicine, the patient has to take a proactive role in his treatment for better results.

While some medications are used to fight hot swollen joint and others are used to prevent a gout attack, early treatment will have more effect on the pain. While a late treatment may not give proper results,  there is the option of undergoing a gout surgery. This is the last resort if gout has damaged the area due to a lack of proper treatment. In such cases, surgery is done to remove the pain.

Gout arthritis is normally treated in two stages; first, the treatment of acute arthritis is done and then the next treatment is to prevent a further gout attack. If the pain is ignored and treatment is delayed, the pain may become unbearable. In this case, the cure may take more time. In many cases, a delayed treatment makes no difference leaving the patient in an unbearable state for the rest of his life, or he may have to undergo joint replacement surgery, which would be expensive and stressful. Early treatment will not cause so much difficulty and with smaller doses of medicines or some easy exercises, the pain may go away. Gout may affect people of ages.

For effective treatment, there should be a proper diet plan prescribed by a doctor. People suffering from overweight may be more prone to gout attacks. Also consuming alcohol, meat and fish can affect the body and increase the probability of gout. Certain medications such as water pills can also result in the development of gout. In the end, it is the responsibility of the individual to get proper medical attention and treatment. It is essential for the person to get involved in the cure of gout. Even after getting relief there can be gout attacks in the future,  so it is essential to follow a healthy lifestyle.