I have dealt with many foot and ankle injuries in my life. From stepping on nails, to broken bones, but the pain from gout,makes all those a walk in the park.

I never knew how painful gout was until this Christmas Eve, when I woke up with excruciating pain in the first joint of my big toe. I really thought it was broken.! I couldn't move it, let alone touch it, without inducing severe pain.

I guess the plantars fasciitis in the same foot, wasn't enough, so now I'm blessed with this as well. YEAH.!

I did some web searching on the causes, and found that shellfish/ seafood, is tops on the list of things that sets this off, and I've just had a big bowl of seafood boil just two days before this flare up.

This is a first for me, and hopefully the last, but I doubt it from what I read. So my question to those that are inflicted with gout, is how they cope with it. Are there any home remedies they use, Dr. recommendations, ect.

My diet will be the first thing I address, but I'm more concerned with lessening the pain associated with it, as of now.

Ice, elevation, and Ibuprofen, has helped, but only on a light degree. Also, lots of water, to go along with the water pills I take in conjunction with my BP medication, to help flush the Ulric acid from my system.

This is day three, the pain has eased up just a wee bit, but toe is still as stiff as a board for the most part.

Any help from those that deal with this would be greatly appreciated.