Can A Massage Gun Help With Gout (Answered)

By Steven

On May 2, 2022

A common form of Arthritis called Gout affects between 1 to 2 percent of people living in the United States today!

The Arthritis Foundation recommends massage therapy to help reduce the symptoms associated with all forms of Arthritis.

Besides, massage therapy can reduce stiffness and enhance your range of motion—this helps improve your joints’ overall function.

So Can A Massage Gun Help With Gout

It’s advisable to avoid using massage guns or theragun if you have Gout. A massage gun can further irritate or inflame the affected joint. Furthermore, any direct pressure could damage the affected areas.

Also Read: Can A Massage Gun Help With Arthritis? (Answered)

What’s Gout

Gout is a kind of Arthritis that is accompanied by redness and tenderness in joints and sudden, severe attacks of pain.

It’s an inflammatory Arthritis which is excruciating and painful.

Gout usually affects the big toes base most times. The disease results from sodium urate deposits around and in the joints.

Furthermore, regular massage has been proven to relieve many forms of Arthritis effectively. But then it’s a different case with Gout due to the disease pathophysiology.

And if a Gout patient wishes to consider using massage therapy or a massage gun to relieve the pains, they must also consider the pros and cons of using massage therapy on the condition

So a better understanding of the above will help you make the best decisions about whether to get a massage or use the massage gun for this notoriously painful condition.

Symptoms Of Gout

Mentioned below are symptoms of Gout in the knee:

Feelings of sudden pain that are most severe and restrict the use of the joints.

Swelling in the knee and areas around it.
Change in skin colour around the affected area.

Feelings of warm sensation in or around the knee.
Tenderness to the extent the joint cannot bear pressure, weight, or even a slight touch.

Also Read:Do Massage Guns Help With Inflammation (Answered)

Who Is Affected By Gout?

Anyone can be affected by this painful condition. However, research shows that Gout occurs later in women than in men. This condition most times occurs in women after they reach menopause.

Furthermore, it’s believed that men have a very high level of uric acid throughout their life. Hence they are always at higher risk ( about three times) of getting it than women.

Nevertheless, anyone stands the risk of getting this disease if they have;

Congestive heart failure

A lot of extra weight
Diabetes
Family history of Gout.

Hypertension (high blood pressure).
Kidney disease.

Additionally, a person is likely to develop Gout if they:

Drink excess amount of alcohol

Are on water pills
Eat a diet high in animal proteins

How To Prevent Gout

You can change your lifestyle to help prevent the occurrence of Gout. Here are some lifestyle changes you can make:

You should exercise regularly to maintain a healthy body weight.

Drink a lot of water to keep you hydrated and enable your kidneys to function better
Ensure you limit the amount of purines present in your body. This is because it can trigger the accumulation of uric acid buildup.

Note: here are foods and drinks that contain high levels of purine:

Organ meats and red meat such as liver

Alcohol
Shellfish.
Foods and drinks high in fructose

Protein is obtained from animal sources.
Certain medications like water pills as known as Diuretics.
Immunosuppressants (drugs that help to slow the immune system)

How To Manage A Gout Attack?

Anyone that experiences a sudden Gout attack can manage the symptoms through the following tips below:

Avoid consuming sweet drinks and alcohol.
Placing ice on the affected joint
Consuming plenty of fluids

Elevating the affected joint
Limiting any stress on the affected joint

Also Read:Can A Massage Gun Help With Scar Tissue (Answered)

How Is Gout Treated?

Massage guns and massage therapy shouldn’t be your first option when it comes to the treatment of Gout.

Instead, it would be best to speak to a qualified health care practitioner or a doctor.

Nevertheless, mentioned below are some drugs that can be prescribed to treat Gout and manage some of the symptoms of the condition:

Colchicine: This treatment is given by mouth. It can reduce the pain and inflammation that are associated with Gout. All you need to do is ensure to take it no later than 24 hours after a gout attack.

NSAIDs: This prescription can help to alleviate pain and reduce swelling. But you must avoid this treatment option if you suffer from stomach ulcers, kidney disease and other serious health issues.
Corticosteroids: This helps to alleviate pain and reduce swelling. Corticosteroids can be taken with an injection or by mouth.

Here are other effective drugs that can decrease uric acid levels in your body to avoid future episodes of gout attacks:

Probenecid (taken as a pill)

Febuxostat (taken as a pill).
Allopurinol(taken as a pill)
Pegloticase was given as an intravenous infusion.

Final Words

Gout is a condition that usually affects the big toe initially but can soon extend to other joints. It’s a painful kind of Arthritis that’s caused by high levels of uric acid in the body.

Although this disease is treatable, it’s not advisable to use your massage gun or any other traditional massage techniques to manage the condition. A massage gun or theragun can cause more inflammation and pain to the affected area.

Finally, it’s always best to seek the opinion of qualified medical personnel if you are experiencing symptoms of Gouts. The good news is that lifestyle changes and certain medications can help treat and manage this condition.

Also Read:Can A Massage Gun Help With Neuropathy (Explained)

References:

Disclaimer:The information contained in this article is a result of in-depth research on the subject matter. This article is only for informational and educational purposes, and it’s not intended as medical or health advice. Hence, I suggest you always ensure to seek the opinion of your doctor or other qualified health personnel regarding any questions that relate to health objectives or medical conditions.