Rob had been feeling a lot of pain recently, but he was managing it. He would go to the gym every morning and lift weights, which helped keep his body in shape and ease some of the pain. But something else was happening that he couldn’t explain—his shoulder started to hurt more and more as each day went by. He was sure it was more than a regular muscle strain, but he didn’t want to admit it.
At first, Rob thought it might be a previous injury acting up. But the pain felt different. It was severe and excruciating, accompanied by redness, swelling, and stiffness in the joint. The affected joint felt hot or burning and was very sensitive to touch. Rob wasn’t sure what was going on, but he knew he needed to find out.
After doing some research, Rob discovered that he might have gout in his shoulder, a condition he didn’t expect to find outside of the big toe. He was confused by this unexpected diagnosis and unsure of what to do next.
One night, when the pain got particularly bad, Rob decided to take a trip to the hospital. He felt like something serious might be wrong with him, but he didn’t know what it could be, and he wasn’t positive that it was gout.
Still, despite his reservations about visiting the doctor, Rob knew he had no other option if he wanted to find out what was causing his excruciating shoulder pain.
If you think you might have gout in your shoulder, read on to learn more about the condition and what you can do about it.
What is gout?
Gout is a form of arthritis that occurs when uric acid builds up in the body, forming crystals in the joints. This can cause severe pain, swelling, and inflammation.
Uric acid is a waste product that’s produced when your body breaks down purines, which are compounds that are found naturally in your body as well as in certain foods.
Normally, uric acid dissolves in your blood and passes through your kidneys into your urine. But sometimes, either because your body produces too much uric acid or because your kidneys don’t filter it out properly, uric acid can build up and form crystals in your joints. This causes a condition called gout.
Gout most commonly affects the joints of the big toe, but it can also affect other joints such as the ankle, knee, elbow,wrist, or finger. In rare cases, gout can also affect the shoulders.
Symptoms of gout in the shoulder
The symptoms of gout vary from person to person but typically include the following during a flare-up:
- Severe pain
- Redness
- Swelling, inflammation
- stiffness in the affected joint
- joint may feel hot or burning.
- sensitive to touch
How will a doctor determine if your shoulder pain is due to gout in the shoulder?
What to expect at your doctor’s visit:
- A doctor will typically run tests such as an X-ray or ultrasound to confirm the diagnosis of gout in the shoulder.
- Blood tests can also be used to measure levels of uric acid and other markers that indicate gout in the joints.
- A doctor may perform a physical exam on the affected area to identify signs of inflammation or tenderness that may indicate gout in the shoulder joint.
10 natural healing methods to prevent or control gout in the shoulder
Cherries: Snacking on cherries or drinking cherry juice is a natural remedy that can help reduce inflammation caused by gout in the shoulder.
Turmeric: Curcumin, an active ingredient in turmeric, has anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce the pain and swelling associated with gout.
Herbal Gout Tea: Making a herbal gout tea using herbs such as burdock root, ginger root, and artichoke leaf can help soothe inflammation, reduce uric acid levels, and fight infection associated with gout.
Sipping on warm herbal tea for gout symptoms is an easy way to reduce uric acid levels.
Essential Oils: Massaging essential oils such as lemongrass, frankincense oil, or chamomile oil into the affected area can provide relief from pain and swelling due to gout.
Apple Cider Vinegar: Drinking a mixture of water and apple cider vinegar can help neutralize acids in the body that can cause pain from gout flare-ups in the shoulder.
Epsom Salt Baths: Soaking in an Epsom salt bath for 20 minutes can reduce inflammation and provide relief to sore joints caused by gout in the shoulder area.
Baking soda: Consuming baking soda dissolved in water is known to reduce uric acid levels, which are often linked to causing shoulder gout symptoms.
Cold Compresses: Applying cold compresses around the affected area several times per day can help ease pain and swelling caused by gout in the shoulder area without overstressing it further.
Alfalfa Leaf Extract: Taking alfalfa leaf extract supplements is known to lower levels of uric acid and can be highly effective when combating acute cases of gout in the shoulder area.
Vitamin C Rich Foods: Eating foods rich in vitamin C like oranges, kiwis, and strawberries may help reduce uric acid levels, which will decrease symptoms of painful joint inflammation due to gout around the shoulders.
FAQs About Gout in Shoulder
1) How do I know if I have gout in my shoulder?
If you’re experiencing severe or excruciating pain along with redness, swelling, and stiffness in your shoulder joint (or any other joint), it’s possible that you have gout. The best way to confirm the diagnosis is to see a doctor so they can order tests such as a blood test or x-ray.
2) What causes gout in the shoulder?
Gout occurs when uric acid builds up in the body and forms crystals in the joints. Uric acid is produced when your body breaks down purines, which are compounds that are found naturally in your body as well as certain foods which are compounds that are found naturally in your body as well as certain foods.
Normally, uric acid dissolves in your blood and passes through your kidneys into your urine, but sometimes it can build up and form crystals, which cause gout flares.
Concluding thoughts regarding gout in shoulder
If you think you might have gout in your shoulder, it’s important to see a doctor so they can confirm the diagnosis and recommend treatment options.
Treatment for gout typically includes medication to reduce pain and inflammation, as well as lifestyle changes such as avoiding trigger foods and losing weight if necessary. In some cases, natural remedies such as cherries, gout tea, or turmeric may also be helpful.
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