Review Heat Or Ice For Gout Relief

[GoutPal Victim]

Following Geroid’s comment on Heat Or Ice For Gout Relief, that page is flagged for review.

Geroid asked:

Can I put heat on wrist for gout?

We must, as usual, ensure the page meets latest GoutPal standards. Especially, it should identify which gout group is most affected by the subject of heat vs ice for gout pain relief. If uric acid is ignored, the sufferer is clearly a gout victim. But, recognizing that low temperatures might increase uric acid crystallization, is a step towards gout freedom.

Next step must be clear. There must be a choice of links for heat and for ice.

Maybe the ice choice should link to general advice for gout victims. Then, the heat choice can link to different ways to apply heat to gouty joints safely. As Geroid asks specifically about his wrist, advice should be clear that heat treatment can apply to any gouty joint.

Would you choose heat treatment or ice treatment for gouty joints? ❓
What extra advice do you need about each different gout pain treatment? ❓

To encourage review of this page, please add this topic as one of your Favorites. To give this topic higher priority, add your comments as a reply below.

Do you treat gout pain with heat or ice?

[Ryan]

Ice Helped then Hurt…Weird, but True…

I got gout on Christmas and it was maybe a 5 out of 10.

When I used ice, it basically cured it. It was suddenly gone after the ice treatment. The pain was gone followed quickly by the mobility of joint returning. Then…the next day, gout started in the other foot. And this time, it was about a 6 or 7. I used iced and it immediately went to a 10 out of 10 then the rest of my foot swelled up.

On max Aleve and Ibuprophen and pot and nothing is helping much. I elevated it and rested it.

How do I reduce the uric acid levels??

[Donal.casey]

Heat vs ice

Self inflicted attack after boozy weekend…sighs … Anyway am experimenting drinking copious amounts of water and some coffee in hot bath. Definitely better than ice. Feel that kidneys are flushing through but getting out of bath not long before excruciating again…too sore to walk to doctor!

[Keith Taylor]

There is a way that ice can benefit gout pain. Without adding to uric acid crystals. Because it can be very effective if you follow ice treatment with a warm compress.

Firstly, apply an ice pack to the affected area. Then, you should notice a reduction in gout pain and swelling. After that wrap the affected area in a warm towel, or apply a warm compress. But remember what a compress is! Because it is not a compression device, as I noted recently in an update to Heat Or Ice For Gout Relief.

[d q]

@keith

Maybe it’s just me but I can’t see any update to that page explaining the above? Maybe a mention of what centigrade uric acid crystals form at too? 🙂

[Jonathan Shirley]

Relief from gout with ice or cherry juice?

I have had gout problems within big toe even in the knee and left index finger. Yet, a question on if ice is the cure since it does help in lowering swelling. Or if I need black cherry juice to prevent this.

I have used these methods before I believe it’s the best way to preventing this from returning.

I just wish to find the best way.

[nobody]

If you find ice is helpful, that’s great. It won’t prevent the problem from returning though.
Cherry juice might help to prevent the problem from returning but is likely to be insufficient unless other measures are taken.

Have you been diagnosed with gout?
Has your blood been tested for the amount of uric acid in it?

[d q]

Gout Hot or Cold

Over the last 3 years / 3 gout attacks I have noticed two have come in the Summer and one has come after starting Allopurinol. Putting the Allopurinol attack to one side for obvious reasons I was wondering when you statistically experienced your attacks more often. I have tried to forcefully believe that colder temperatures are generally a recipe for an attack but from my experience, it seems as if this is definitely not the case. This has got me thinking “Why are my attacks always in summer”. I came up with the following possible findings and was wondering if you believe they merit further investigation/study?

My Experience Approach:
The heat in the foot causes expansion which results in either;
a) crystals being pressured into breaking free causing an attack.
b) the general build-up of temperature inside the foot liquefies or scales down crystals dislodging themselves or others nearby (think polar ice caps).
c) frequent perspiration causes dehydration which increases UA concentration.
d) longer days which results in more exertion on joints

Possible Scientific Approach:

a) The heat in the summer causes additional perspiration all over the body including the feet. The perspiration causes a drop of magnesium which helps control heart rate and blood pressure. Now, as a result, this keeps the blood moving smoothly around the circulatory system until the body can expel uric acid. A little more information can be found here.

b) Cherries and Tomatoes* are more abundant and people consume more of them during these months causing a potential down shit in Uric Acid levels which would naturally dissolve fragile crystals in the joints.

Now, these are just my findings during my experiences. As it stands I am beginning to believe winter is actually a better time for me however I am in total agreement that UA should be constantly monitored and controlled.

I’d also like to hear what the general website visitors experiences are.

Cheers.

*Some say these increase Uric Acid levels, however.

[nobody]

I assume there are several effects at work and that one of them is as you mention that the blood can hold more UA when the temperature is higher, resulting in a effect similar to mild ULT. For what it’s worth, my longest attacks have started in the spring.
Temperature might affect UA excretion outside of dehydration. But I’ve noted weight loss before some summer attacks. So dehydratation might well play a role.

I’ve had attacks after being out in the cold too.
I guess if you mostly stay inside and dress warmly in the winter, you’ll exeprience less temperature variations than you do in the summer.

[Patrick]

Hey dq, buddy. Sorry I haven’t been around much. Summer in Los Angeles is a bear, and with wildfires burning all over the state, our Fire Department has been bouncing around all over. At one point, didn’t see the wife and kids for 11 days!!!

Anyway, back to the quetion. I have had major flare ups in both summer and winter. It didn’t matter. 2 of my biggest flare ups were in Summer, and 1 major one was in the dead of winter. I’m not really sure what the scientific correlation is, but I have some theories, at least as it pertains to me personally.

In summer, hydration is key. I find myself drinking tons of water, especially during fire season. BUT…I found when I didn’t stay hydrated, I would get an attack. In LA, it can easily top 100 degrees for weeks. It is imperitive to stay hydrated. That is one aspect. Another….summer is a time for more outdoor activities, which leads to bad eating and drinking habits. Again, me personally, not you per se.

But I also have a winter home in the mountains. I love to snowboard and have been in temps well below freezing and I never found a link between cold extremities and Gout, even though Keith has mentioned this before. I do know that your bodies metabolism slows when the weather is colder, but I haven’t really read up on the link between cold and Gout. I used to sleep with socks on in the winter to prevent my feet from being cold and hopefully preventing attacks. Not sure if it actually helped though.

All I know is before I controlled my Uric Acid with Allopurinol, I was so hyperconcerned about preventing attacks that it didn’t matter where I was, or when it was. I just was really prepared for it. Hope all is well.

[d q]

@nobody – exactly. Your spring temperatures may very well be our summer temperatures which further leads me to believe that the heat plays a vital (yet negative) role in when attacks occur.

@Patrick – Yea I’ve heard about those catastrophic wild fires. I’m sorry to hear your going through a tough time mate. It must be even tougher being away from your family for such long periods of time 🙁
I admire people like you honestly. It’s people like you that save lives and families daily. After reading your experiences above (2 major attacks in summer compared to 1) it further cements my theory that summer temperatures can have more of a negative impact then colder temperatures in attack occurrence (well with me anyway).

@Keith – I’d be interested to hear your experiences mate?

Cheers.

[Keith Taylor]

Thanks @d_q

I’ve summarised my thoughts in Seasonal Gout. But one statistic I forgot to mention is the split between highest and lowest seasons was something like 27% & 23%. So given that and the fact that there is statistical differences between which season has most gout, I’d say this is a non-issue.

[John Hayes]

Gout heat or ice

My experience may not be generally applicable to everyone. I am just reporting my thoughts on the subject.

3 days after taking 3 colchicine pills still sore and considering taking 3 more. Instead I thought I would try soaking in my hot tub at 103 degrees long enough to bring up my core temp and then use the foot jets for massage. While doing that I decided to up the temp to 104. Then I noticed my spa heater outlet was much hotter and decided that while I didn’t want my core temp to go over 104 degrees I didn’t see why my gouty toe couldn’t take more heat. Using the jets mostly around all my foot I thought would be helpful be for circulation which with the temp dissolve some crystals. My toe looked really bad when I got out but after it cooled down the pain was reduced . I did the same thing the next night ( last night) and the following morning it still looked swollen and red but almost pain free.

I am writing this as I take a break from yard work and getting hydrated and wanted to look up temp V’s urate solubility and found myself here. My personal conclusion is that for me it was very helpful and I will likely try it again. I did prehydrate and drank a lot of water after to rehydrate. I can’t say how well this would at the beginning of a flare but recovery time seemed much shorter than any previous flare.

My concept of raising my core body temp and massaging the whole foot for increased circulation to dissolve any crystals quicker while also using cherry juice and water before and after seemed to work for me. This method ( high temp spa ) might be dangerous for some people . I am used to 103 degrees as I use that temp when I need to stretch when my back hurts.

[Author]

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