Gout is a common arthritic condition, thought to affect around 1 in 40 people in the UK. While diet and genetics are often considered when diagnosing and treating gout, certain factors are often overlooked. For example, could your stress levels be linked to your risk of experiencing a gout flare-up? In this article, we’re taking a look at the evidence to find out!
Gout is an inflammatory condition associated with elevated uric acid levels in the blood. This excess serum uric acid causes the formation of uric acid crystals in some joints (most commonly in the feet), resulting in painful and often debilitating symptoms.
This build-up of uric acid can be due to several things. It can be exacerbated by factors such as diet (eating foods high in natural compounds called purines), and kidney disease which may prevent the effective filtration of uric acid out of the body. But what about stress and gout?
Stress and Gout
It is normal for us to experience stress and associated problems, such as anxiety, every now and then. Whether our stress is linked to work, relationships or our health, it can have a big impact on our lives - particularly when experienced frequently. But it is easy to overlook how important our stress levels are for our overall health.
But the fact is, stress plays an important role not only in our mental wellness but also in our physical well-being. Long-term stress can affect every one of our bodily systems, including the musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular, endocrine, gastrointestinal, nervous, and reproductive systems. This can increase our risk of a wide range of conditions, including hypertension, heart attack and stroke.
When it comes to gout, stress can also indirectly increase the risk of experiencing flare-ups. For example, while stress doesn’t cause gout directly, prolonged stress may cause a spike in uric acid levels as the body seeks to manage oxidative stress. Stress is also associated with a number of actions, such as poor diet, smoking and alcohol consumption, and lack of exercise, which may be linked to an increased risk of gout attacks.
Some research also indicates that chronic inflammatory conditions such as gout are linked to a higher risk of mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, and stress. This potentially makes for a cycle in which physical and mental symptoms are exacerbated by one another.
Handling Stress for Your Gout
Current evidence indicates that, while stress may not be a direct cause of gout, it can indirectly affect your risk of experiencing flare-ups. Therefore, adopting effective ways to manage your stress levels may be helpful.
Some individuals may benefit from breathing exercises, meditation, or talking therapies with a trained professional to work through stress.
Talking with friends and family about your symptoms, taking some time for yourself (such as reading a book or listening to music), and avoiding unhealthy foods, smoking and alcohol, can also all be beneficial for managing stress levels.
Conclusion
Of course, it’s impossible to avoid stress altogether - no matter how laid back you might be. Thankfully, there are other things you can do to help manage your gout, such as eating a gout-friendly diet, staying hydrated, and taking regular supplements.
