Stay off your feet. Any movement is bound to aggravate the pain, says Dr. Tindall. She advises sitting with your foot propped on a footstool or staying in bed. Once an attack has passed, women doctors offer this advice for keeping future attacks at bay. To prevent repeat attacks of gout, limit your alcohol intake to no more than one drink a day of beer, wine or liquor, says Dr. Tindall.
Alcohol triggers gout attacks in people predisposed to gout.
And if you don't drink at all, so much the better. Avoid purine-rich foods. Forget organ meats such as liver, heart, kidney and sweetbreads, says Dr. Tindall. They're all loaded with purines and can precipitate an attack. A first-time gout attack will generally resolve itself within seven to ten days whether or not you do anything about it, says Nancy Becker, M.D., a rheumatologist in private practice in Kansas City, Kansas.