Are you searching for medications that can put an end to the misery that gout brings? Or probably the medications you currently take are not working as expected? If yes, then you should check out this article
Suffering from gout is just too painful that any individual with this condition may consider themselves as cursed. When gout attack strikes, the painful fiery sensation on the joints will leave every person uncomfortable and wretchedly unhappy. A gout attack is just too hard to bear, but on the other hand, treating gout is just as hard as baring it.
Some of the medications that are taken by gout patients are Colchicine, Allopurinol, and NSAIDs. These are just a few compared from the tons of medications out there. Knowing that we can easily conclude that finding an effective medication to treat gout is quite hard. In Addition to that is the confusion due to the hundreds of brand names available for the same medication.
However, there is nothing to worry about. In this article, we will help you decide what medications to take for effective gout treatment.
All Medications are Created Almost Equal
All medications have its pros and cons. And it is taken to treat a certain illness but in some cases, it can just add another. Medications taken without prescriptions or without further understanding of its properties and effects may inflict other medical conditions or worsen your present condition.
Allopurinol for gout… doesn’t lower the uric acid level
If you ask your doctor what to take for gout, they will most likely say that “Allopurinol is the best option”, or whatever brand it is such as Progout or Zyloprim. The reason? Because allopurinol lowers both serum and urine uric acid level.
But the reality is that this medication is not the solution to treat gout. Allopurinol will only make it worst. If serum uric acid lowers, then the urine uric acid level should increase because uric acid is flushed out. But it does not. The reason for this is because uric acid is not excreted by allopurinol. It does not stop it as well. Instead, allopurinol just pauses uric acid production by inhibiting the enzyme xanthine oxidase. This temporarily disables the breakdown of purine into uric acid. However, the untapped purine will have to be converted as the effect of allopurinol wears off. This is because purine cannot be excreted in such form because it is a macromolecule.
You may have a zero-uric-acid in the meantime, but it is twice the uric acid later thus explaining the severe gout attack associated with allopurinol. This concludes that, allopurinol is definitely not the answer your painful misery. Unless you badly need to temporarily lower your uric acid level. Just brace yourself for the incoming uric acid rush.
Colchicine: A poison, literally
Colchicine is what you will take for gout if you are interested in treating the pain and inflammation right away. And it is actually true that Colchicine prevents gout attacks or flares but its side effects will just make your sufferings worse. Pain and inflammation are just only some of the side effects of colchicine but you will be shocked by its main effect. Colchicine’s main effect is to literally poison you. What do you think causes the pain and inflammation? Colchicine destroys your cells that cause the pain and inflammation.
Colchicine is a mitotic inhibitor. This means that it inhibits the reproduction of cells (no exception!). With such effect affecting your body, the white blood cells that cause the inflammation and pain will dwindle in number. Hence, pain and inflammation are lessened or even removed.
Furthermore, colchicine damages the microtubules. This will not only make mitosis impossible but makes the white blood cells unable to fight foreign bodies. While this seems effective, this leaves a trail of destruction in its wake. This can lead to hair loss, immune suppression, impotency, eosinophilia, anemia, bone marrow destruction and other diseases caused by low cell counts. Colchicine comes in many brand names such as Goutnil and Mitigare. There is a slightly nerfed version of colchicine which is febuxostat, though that will yield the same side effects as well. Needless to say, this is not what you should take to effectively treat gout.
Ibuprofen, Naproxen, Diclofenac etc.
Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs are simply pained relievers and anti-inflammatories. They inhibit cyclooxygenase to remove pain and inflammation. However, you should keep in mind that cyclooxygenase is also responsible for the maintenance of the epithelium of the stomach. Therefore, NSAIDs can cause ulceration and other gastrointestinal damages.
NSAIDs are your best choice in a sense that they will not cause the most severe side effects. However, take note that NSAIDs are just a temporary way to relieve pain. But without a proper treatment, gout will definitely come back.
If you want to take NSAIDs for gout, take note that each of them has varying strengths.
Conclusion
It is advisable for everyone to dig deeper into the main effects and also the side effects of any gout medication. But, keep in mind that enable to treat gout, acidosis must be eliminated first.
