How to Use Home Remedies for Gout

Attacks of gout are painful and require prompt attention. Common household products such as cherries and ice can be used as remedies for gout. Home remedies can save pain and time when a doctor is unreachable. Read on to learn how to use home remedies for gout.

Things You'll Need

• Charcoal
• Flaxseed
• Towel
• Dressing
• Basin/bucket
• Warm moist towel
• Blender
• Ice
• Cherries (sweet or sour)

Instructions

Use Common Household Items to Remedy Gout

1. Apply ice to the affected area as a home remedy for gout. Since a gout attack can prevent you from leaving the house before it is better, ice is simple enough to apply and is already in your home. When applying ice, alternate the ice pack with heated moist towels to keep the area warm.

2. Wrap a towel around the affected area to relieve swelling. Wrapping the area will keep it warm and may relieve pain to help you sleep at night. Keep the towel lose and comfortable.

3. Eat about 25 cherries on the first day of a gout attack to lower your uric acid level. Follow this by eating 10 to 15 cherries a day after to relieve the pain caused by uric acid crystals. Cherries can be either sweet or sour.

Use Charcoal as Home Remedy for Gout

1. Make a charcoal poultice, which has the ability to pull toxins from the body removing excess uric acid. Blend a few tsp. of flaxseed until smooth. Add this to 1/2 cup of powdered activated charcoal and warm water to make a paste. Smooth the paste over the affected area and cover with a cloth to hold the paste in place. Change the paste and dressing every four to six hours. You may leave the charcoal poultice overnight, but be careful to not get the paste on the linens or clothing, as it will leave stains.

2. Use a charcoal foot bath as another home remedy for treating gout. Since the charcoal will stain the tub, use an old pail or basin. Mix in 1/2 cup of charcoal powder in warm water until it forms a paste. Once the foot or affected joint is in the basin, slowly add warm water to submerge the affected area entirely. Be careful not to add water that will burn the foot. The area should be soaked for at least 30 minutes and no more than one hour.

3. Take charcoal orally to reduce the uric acid blood levels. Mix 1/2 to 1 tsp. of charcoal with a strong tasting liquid to dilute the charcoal flavor. Take up to four times daily (for example early in the morning, before lunch, afternoon and at bedtime).

Tips & Warnings

• Start using home remedies for gout as soon as the attack is first felt for the most effective treatment.

• Alternate ice packs with a warm, moist towel when using ice as a home remedy for gout. Long periods of extreme cold may do more harm than good by causing crystals to form.

• Prepare charcoal remedies in a container you can toss out when done, since charcoal will stain.