In about ten days, the Chinese New Year is coming, with family and friends gathering together, and good wine and food are always indispensable. But hold on, old gout sufferers - have you been controlling your uric acid well lately? Wu Jing, director of the Department of Rheumatology at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, reminds that before the Spring Festival, it is the critical period for preventing gout. How can we avoid gout from causing trouble and have a healthy New Year? Please keep this prevention and control strategy safe! Expert Introduction: Wu Jing, Director of the Rheumatology Department and Chief Physician at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, holds a Doctor of Medicine degree. Her professional expertise includes the diagnosis and treatment of various difficult rheumatic and immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, gouty arthritis, osteoarthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, polymyositis/dermatomyositis, scleroderma, and vasculitis; Minimally invasive needle knife treatment techniques have been developed for rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and osteoarthritis. Why is gout more common before and after the Spring Festival? It is said that during festivals, people with gout may gain three pounds. However, if not careful, uric acid levels may quietly rise during the Spring Festival. The Spring Festival is a high-risk period for gout. If you don't control your uric acid intake and eat freely, it won't be worth the risk of acute onset of osteoarthritis. ”Wu Jing reminds us that during festivals and holidays, many people easily fall into the "three highs" - high purine, high fat, and high alcohol. In addition, weather changes and disrupted sleep patterns can increase the risk of acute gout attacks. 1. Food intensive "bombing": the annual feast is one after another, and the table is full of fresh food, hot pot, animal viscera, and all kinds of fat and sweet taste. If you let go of eating without control, after several meals, uric acid may exceed the standard at any time. 2. Alcohol "adds fuel to the fire": Alcohol not only promotes the production of uric acid in the body, but also interferes with its normal excretion. Excessive intake can further exacerbate the accumulation of uric acid in the body. 3. Low temperature "promotes" crystallization: China has a vast territory, with cold weather in the north before and after the Spring Festival, and cold waves may also occur in the south. As the temperature drops, urate salts are more likely to precipitate and crystallize in joints, and affected joints may experience varying degrees of redness, swelling, and pain. 4. Disordered daily routine "adds insult to injury": staying up late during the New Year, coupled with fatigue from frequent visits to relatives and friends, some people's immunity is easily "disconnected", and the risk of acute gout attacks is more likely to increase. How to prevent and control acute attacks of gout? How to celebrate festivals safely with 'old gout'? Don't be quiet and give advice as follows: 1. Keep your mouth shut: don't eat high purine food and eat less: don't eat big fish and big meat, especially keep away from animal viscera (liver, kidney, brain), thick soup, hot pot soup, shellfish, oysters, sardine, anchovies and other high purine foods. Be wary of the "sweet trap": During the Chinese New Year, various sugary drinks such as candies, pastries, juices, and carbonated drinks can significantly increase uric acid levels when family and friends gather together. It is important to eat and drink less. If you can avoid drinking, you can avoid drinking: if you really need entertainment, you can drink a small amount of red wine and drink more water to dilute it, and try to drink less beer, Baijiu, etc. 2. Drink enough water: For adults, about 2 liters of plain water or light tea per day can help reduce the concentration of uric acid in the body and accelerate its excretion from the body. 3. Don't freeze: During the Spring Festival, the temperature difference in the south may increase, and whether the temperature drops sharply or rises suddenly, the violent fluctuations in blood uric acid may become the "trigger" for gout attacks. Clothing should be adjusted in a timely manner according to changes in temperature, and the cold wind should not blow directly onto the joints. 4. Avoid staying up late and sitting for too long: Try to stay up late and get enough sleep, and avoid excessive fatigue; In addition, it is important to avoid prolonged sitting and engage in moderate daily exercise to promote blood circulation. However, exercise should not be too intense and should not harm joints. 5. Do not stop taking medication without authorization: Patients who are currently taking uric acid lowering drugs should also follow the doctor's advice to take medication during the Chinese New Year. Do not stop taking medication on your own "without any illness", otherwise poor control of blood uric acid can lead to acute attacks of gout. Managing gout like managing high blood pressure "If uric acid is out of control for a long time and gout recurs, uric acid crystals in the joints will form gouty stones. ”Wu Jing explained, "These 'stones' not only cause continuous swelling and pain in the joints, but also, like termites eating wood, continuously erode and damage the joint cartilage and adjacent bones. This is gouty osteoarthritis." Once the joint structure is substantially damaged and conservative treatment with medication is difficult to achieve, what should be done? Consider using minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery to remove gouty stones. ”Wu Jing said that this surgical technique involves making a small incision on the joint and inserting arthroscopy into the joint, which can clearly see the damaged cartilage surface, fallen debris, and deposited urate crystals. With the help of minimally invasive arthroscopy, doctors can more accurately clean up the "inflammatory waste" deposited in the joints, flush the joint cavity, repair damaged tissues, effectively relieve pain and swelling, improve joint mobility, and avoid further joint damage. Arthroscopic surgery has minimal trauma and fast recovery. For patients with early to mid stage gouty osteoarthritis, this treatment is an important means of joint preservation. ”Wu Jing emphasized that in order to stay away from gouty osteoarthritis, prevention is always more important than treatment! The earlier uric acid is regulated and controlled, the more it can reduce the degree of joint damage. Otherwise, uric acid crystals may cause bone loss, leading to joint deformities and functional disorders, and even quietly depositing in the kidneys, causing gouty kidney disease, renal insufficiency, and in severe cases, kidney failure, requiring dialysis to maintain life. "In short, although gout cannot be eradicated, like hypertension and diabetes, it can be controlled through long-term and standardized comprehensive management to avoid acute attacks and delay progress. ”So, Wu Jing reminds that those diagnosed with hyperuricemia who need medication control must follow the doctor's advice and not stop taking medication casually because they feel that "taking medication during the Chinese New Year is unlucky". (New Society)