Hi there! Thank you for your question. I suggest you get yourself checked at your doctor. Joint pain and swelling does not necessarily mean gout. There are diseases such as:

• ingrown toenails
• bunions
• cuts or scrapes
• other injuries
• blisters
• arthritis (including rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and other types of arthritis)
• infection that can cause toe pain and swelling

If gout is suspected, several investigations will be done. The most important investigation will be the joint fluid analysis. Then a special microscope is used to look for signs of gout, such as crystal formation. So yes, if a diagnosis of gout is established, proper diet intake and medication are important for the control of gout.

Gout symptoms or ““attacks”” occur when there is too much uric acid in the blood. Purine rich food will broken down to simpler forms and uric acid is the byproduct of that process. When uric acid levels are high, crystals of it can accumulate in your joints. This process triggers the swelling, inflammation and pain. Food rich that has high purine content should be avoid such as:

• organ meats
• red meats
• seafood
• alcohol
• fructose
• sugar-sweetened beverages (these are not rich in purine. Just increase the risk for gout).

Research shows that high-purine vegetables do not trigger gout attacks. This is one exception to the rule.
As for the medications, there are 3 medication groups for acute flares

• 1st line: NSAIDs eg. Diclofenac
• 2nd line: eg.colchicine
• 3rd line: glucocorticoids eg. Prednisolone

Long-term Urate Lowering Therapy (ULT) is the collective term for the long term management. ULT when there is to prevent recurrent acute attacks or disabling attacks. There are 4 examples of Long-term Urate Lowering Therapy (ULT); Allopurinol, Febuxostat, Uricosuric drugs e.g. probenecid and Raspuricase.

Please click on this link (DoctorOnCall) to talk to us privately online and discuss further about your symptoms and treatment needed. Thank you.