Triggers For Gout: Not All Bad!

If you wonder how many triggers for gout there are, the truest answer is only one. Only one thing triggers gout, but many events can cock the gout gun.

A typical gout attack is intense inflammation caused by white blood cells attacking uric acid crystals. It’s part of your immune system, which is very complicated. Some days aren’t as bad as others. You might have a reaction one time, but not another. It can seem random at times, and you have to be very careful how you react.

So, the only real gout trigger is your immune system ‘seeing’ uric acid crystals. But what causes uric acid crystals to be exposed to your immune system? There are several events that can lead to a gout attack. Let’s expand the definition of gout triggers to cover these events. Then we need to know about different types of triggers for gout.

The most important fact about gout triggers is that they can be good or bad. Gout attacks can be triggered when uric acid is falling, or when it is too high.

Medical Triggers For Gout

The most obvious group of gout triggers are medicines. They highlight the importance of knowing your uric acid level and reacting in the right way.

Much is written about some common drugs that trigger gout attacks by raising uric acid. In Beware Gout Cures You Do Not Need I list several of these medical triggers for gout. In many cases, you can stop gout triggers quickly by discussing alternative forms of treatment with your doctor. If there are no suitable alternatives, your doctor should prescribe allopurinol, Uloric, or other ways to Avoid Gout By Lower Uric Acid.

You should realize that all those good gout medicines that lower uric acid might trigger gout attacks for a few months. It’s that realization that prompted me to write the popular Allopurinol Medication: Why It Hurts To Get Rid Of Gout. Note that, until most uric acid crystals dissolve, anything that lowers uric acid can be a temporary trigger for gout – even food…

Food Triggers For Gout

Food triggers for gout are the most talked about. They are also usually the most wrong. Gout sufferers, often prompted by poor medical advice, believe that meals high in animal purines will trigger a gout attack. Recent science tells us this is wrong, but the news has not reached most gout advisers yet.

If you think particular foods are triggers for gout, please discuss them in the gout forums. This is very important and very personal. I have links to the gout forums below.

External Triggers For Gout

Two common external triggers for gout are exercise and trauma. With trauma, there is little you can do other than to treat the gout pain. With exercise, there is a lot you can do to plan your exercise routines in gout-friendly ways. As with most aspects of gout, your exercise plan is personal to you. The principles are:

• Avoid stressing joints that have been weakened by the presence of uric acid crystals.
• Avoid exercise that build muscle mass – the worst form of purine-rich meat.
• Focus on exercises that reduce weight and increase blood flow.

Triggers For Your Gout

As you see, there are many different triggers for gout. Some are good, but still need to be managed. You need to understand what is triggering your gout. I can help you understand your triggers for gout in the gout forums. It’s easy to start a new discussion about your triggers for gout. Once we’ve got your triggers identified, we can manage them. Use the gout forums whenever you need help to manage your gout. If you get stuck, just click the orange Gout Support button, or fill in the feedback form below.