How to Stay Safe With Gout While Traveling
Gout attacks during trips can be a very unfortunate and painful experience.
No one desires to endure such pain. It is a source of misery that can ruin your entire trip and even if you were on vacation, you may miss the pleasures of your vacation due to the painful gout attacks.
However, if you are a gout sufferer, then all is not lost as there are a number of ways you can use to avoid gout attacks during your travels and continue with your trips just as usually without any pains.
It calls for having the right information on how to properly prepare for travel, how to avoid in-flight attacks, and how to carry yourself out, including what foods you should take once at your travel destination.
Briefly, let us have a look at each of these components into some more detail.
Preparing for the Trip
The travel preparations you make when you are a gout sufferer will determine whether or not you will have increased chances of getting attacks during the trip.
At every stage of the preparation or the planning, you must have the condition in mind and not make any arrangements which might lead to unwanted triggers.
As part of your preparation, you should have a clear idea of what you intend to do in your travel destination as this will have a direct impact on the kind of lifestyle, with special consideration to mobility once you are there.
This knowledge will also give you an idea of the possible foods you may interact with and definitely, you know there are certain foods you must avoid or consume in moderation if you are suffering from gout.
For instance, if you are flying out to attend a graduation party, then you are likely to encounter a lot of foods and alcoholic drinks, which you must choose wisely if you want to avoid attacks during the trip.
On the days before you make the trip, it is highly advised that you be active and get involved in regular workouts as this is very vital for gout management and reducing the instances of attacks.
You must also watch very keenly what you eat and avoid all the common foods considered as known triggers for gout.
You must remember that gout is a very painful experience and the best you can do to prevent attacks while traveling is to prepare adequately.
Additionally, you must remember to carry any gout medication you may be having at the time of travel.
Don’t be like me and forget your gout medication like I did for a Caribbean cruise and once I got back, I got a painful gout attack on my big toe which lasted for days.
Don’t fall for the temptation to leave them behind hoping that you will buy them again once you reach your destination. Be sure to get a prescription from your doctor to avoid unnecessary scrutiny at the airports.
How to Avoid In-flight Gout Attacks
It is possible to have all the preparations in place, but still, you are prone to gout attacks during your flight, especially if it is a long haul flight to your destination.
The best way to avoid getting these attacks when you are in the plane up in the skies is to have a good understanding of the triggers and be sure to avoid them as much as possible.
Some of the in-flight gout triggers you should watch out for include but are not limited to the following:
Lack of mobility – Your mobility during flights is normally hampered when you have to sit for long hours or you are in the economy class where the seats are not so generous with the leg space.
A lack of mobility will reduce proper blood circulation in the body, and this sluggish circulation is likely to trigger gout attacks.
Therefore, don’t stay immobile for a long time while on the flight. Stretch your legs and occasionally stand up and walk along the aisle just to ensure that your blood circulates.
Dehydration – One of the home remedies for gout is typically drinking a lot of water, and dehydration can happen when you are on the plane due to the fact that there is less humidity in the cabin air.
This can quickly encourage the crystallization of uric acid, leading to a gout attack during the flight.
To avoid this, ensure you are well hydrated during the flight and don’t depend on the water in the juices or coffee. Go for plain drinking water.
On board wines and alcohol – Of course, alcoholic drinks may be served during the flight, but you have to avoid them if you know you are suffering from gout.
Taking alcohol while on board may lead to harrowing attacks which might end up ruining your entire trip.
How To Handle A Gout Attack While Flying
However, in the unfortunate event that you get the attacks during the flight, here are some tips which will help you get some reprieve quickly:
- Inform the flight attendants about the attack
- Ask for any painkillers on board if your medication is not easily accessible
- If you are on a long trip, such as intercontinental flights, get medication from the pharmacy on the next airport you stop at
- Take the precautions listed above to avoid attacks
How to Prevent Attacks Once You're at Your Destination
Upon arriving at your final destination, you must not forget that you suffer from gout and be very careful. Remember, it is only the environment that has changed and not the condition.
Therefore, you must stick to all the practices you used to do back at home to prevent any potential attacks.
When it comes to food, you will find a great variety and you may encounter some which you don’t have any idea, how your body would react to it with your gout condition. If you are not sure if a particular food might aggravate the condition, simply stay away from it.
For example, if you were traveling to the European countries the diversity in food will be great, but don’t think that it’s time to adventure with every European menu that comes your way.
Here is a simple guide on how you can go about the eating in certain European countries:
- Italy – Italian cuisines are normally full of vegetables and you will not risk getting gout attacks by eating the Italian veggies. You will easily find them in foods such as pasta, risottos, soups, and salads. Be sure to avoid the tantalizing seafood when in Italy, if you suffer from gout.
- Spain – When is Spain, you will be safe eating the fresh fruits and vegetables which are very common in most Spanish dishes. Spain is also the home to the finest olive oils in the world and you may consider it as a substitute for butter based sauces. Just like in Italy, you must avoid the seafood and alcohol.
- France – While in France, you are also free to take the fruits and vegetables which also make a big chunk of their cuisines. Also, consider eating whole grain bread instead of white (since the French are big bread eaters,) and you may also try that their quintessential cappuccino without any risks of attacks.
Traveling with gout should not be a painful experience if you are well equipped with the right information. Hopefully, the information given here will help you avoid the attacks while you get ready to travel this summer.