Gout usually strikes the big toe, often suddenly and at night. Ahead of Thanksgiving, a Fairfield podiatry practice explains which foods and drinks raise uric acid and when a painful toe needs care.

Thanksgiving falls on November 26 this year, and for people who live with gout, the holiday table can come with a price. According to Cincinnati Foot & Ankle Care, gout usually affects the joint at the base of the big toe, and symptoms tend to occur suddenly, often at night. Gout can cause intense big toe joint pain, redness, and swelling.

The practice, which has a Fairfield location on Nilles Road, says many gout patients can connect a flare to a large meal or a night of drinking. The Arthritis Foundation explains that beer has a high purine content, which is converted to uric acid in the body. Organ meats are particularly high in purines, and red meats are in general higher in purines than white meats.

Hydration helps. The Arthritis Foundation advises at least 8 glasses of nonalcoholic beverages a day, and during a flare, increasing intake to 16 glasses a day, because water helps flush uric acid from the system. It also notes that low-fat milk and low-fat dairy can reduce uric acid levels. When a flare does happen, treatment options at the practice include anti-inflammatory drugs, pain relievers and steroid injections into the affected joint.

Podiatrists Theresa Melody, DPM, Steven McCarthy, DPM, and Matthew Novak, DPM, see patients in Fairfield, one of 11 Cincinnati Foot & Ankle Care locations in the area.

The Fairfield location is at 1260 Nilles Road, Building A1, off of Route 4 near Winton Road. Free parking is available.

"Every year we see patients the week after Thanksgiving who wake up with a hot, swollen big toe and are not sure what happened. Gout is very treatable, and knowing what can set it off makes it easier to enjoy the holiday without paying for it later," said a spokesperson for Cincinnati Foot & Ankle Care.

• Go easy on beer and other alcohol at holiday meals.
• Choose turkey breast over organ meats and limit red meat.
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
• Know the signs: sudden pain, redness and swelling at the base of the big toe.
• If a painful, swollen toe does not settle, have a podiatrist take a look.

Cincinnati Foot & Ankle Care in Fairfield is at 1260 Nilles Road, Building A1. Patients with big toe pain can learn more about seeing a Podiatrist online or call (513) 525-5460.

About Cincinnati Foot & Ankle Care

Cincinnati Foot & Ankle Care is a podiatry practice with 11 locations in the Cincinnati area, including Fairfield at 1260 Nilles Road, Building A1. Its podiatrists and foot and ankle surgeons treat arthritis and gout, heel pain, bunions, ingrown and fungal toenails, diabetic foot conditions and more, and offer custom orthotics, shock wave therapy and foot and ankle surgery. More information is available at cfac.net.

Contact Information:

Cincinnati Foot & Ankle Care (Fairfield, OH)

1260 Nilles Rd
Fairfield, OH 45014
United States

A spokesperson for Cincinnati Foot & Ankle Care
(513) 525-5460
http://www.cfac.net/