If you are unsure of what gout is, then you’ve come to the right place. Learn about its symptoms, causes, treatments, and how to prevent gout. Gout is a painful and debilitating condition that can affect your joints. Foods rich in purines can cause this disease. These foods include shellfish, lamb, beef, pork, and organ meat. If you eat too much of them, you may develop gout.
Symptoms
Gout is a painful, debilitating condition that can affect multiple joints. It tends to occur in the night, which can make sleep difficult. It also causes stiffness and loss of joint range of motion. Taking a warm bath can help ease the pain, and following a regular routine can help prevent flare-ups.
Gout is a condition that occurs when the body’s uric acid levels are too high. This can be due to various causes, including overproduction of uric acid or problems excreting it. Some medications can help control the excess uric acid in the blood. Other treatments can improve the kidney’s ability to excrete uric acid. An acute gout attack usually lasts 12 to 24 hours. Without treatment, it can recur and cause considerable pain.
Diagnosing gout begins with a complete medical examination. Your physician will check for high levels of uric acid in your blood stream, and may extract fluid from affected joints. X-rays and ultrasounds will also help identify uric acid crystals. However, the exact cause of gout is still unclear.
Symptoms of gout may also include pain in the joints, especially in the big toe. The pain may be excruciating or intermittent. It can be associated with redness and warmth. In some cases, the pain may also be associated with an infection. Fortunately, gout is treatable with medication and a healthy lifestyle.
The goal of treatment is to reduce the amount of uric acid in the blood and prevent the formation of painful crystals. Treatment may also involve taking pain medications, applying cold packs to the affected joint, and rest. However, the treatment for gout will vary from person to person. This is why early diagnosis is essential.
Gout is a common condition that affects men and women. While men are more susceptible to developing gout, women are not immune to it. After menopause, women’s risk of developing the disease catches up to that of men.
Causes
Gout is a disease that occurs when the uric acid level in the blood is too high. The disease is typically associated with people who are overweight and suffer from high blood pressure. The condition is often hereditary and runs in families. Genetics are one of the biggest risk factors for developing gout.
Genetic predisposition can increase the level of uric acid in the blood. There are also certain occult diseases that increase the amount of urate. Several tests can help determine whether you have gout. A cell count, differential cell count, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate are used to diagnose the condition. Other tests can help diagnose the condition, such as lactate dehydrogenase and serum albumin electrophoresis.
Changing your diet is an important step in fighting gout. You should avoid eating foods that increase your level of uric acid. Avoid alcoholic beverages and red meat. Additionally, limit sugary drinks. Avoiding these foods will also help you avoid gout flares. Also, try to lose weight if possible, as losing weight will help reduce the amount of uric acid in your blood and lower pressure on your joints.
A gout attack is usually a one-time event that lasts three to 10 days. If the symptoms do not progress after this time, your joint should return to normal. However, it’s important to see a doctor if your symptoms persist or get worse. If your symptoms are accompanied by a high temperature, you should see a doctor immediately. You may have a more serious underlying condition causing the symptoms.
Some people are at higher risk for gout because of genetics. Obesity and family history are also risk factors for developing the disease. Certain medications can affect uric acid levels. And diets high in meat and seafood can increase gout risk. In addition, alcohol and sugary drinks can lead to an increase in uric acid.
The most common cause of gout is excess uric acid. This acid is produced by the body when purines in food are broken down by the kidneys. Some foods can cause too much uric acid in the blood, which can irritate the joints. The resulting inflammation causes severe pain.
Treatments
Gout treatments include a number of medications that control the inflammation in the affected joint. A high-quality diet and regular exercise are important to prevent gout flare-ups and improve overall health. In the event of a flare-up, an ice pack can help relieve the pain. NSAIDs such as Ibuprofen, an over-the-counter pain reliever, may also be prescribed.
The cause of a gout attack is typically high uric acid levels in the blood. A physician can assess the cause of high uric acid levels by performing a medical history and reviewing relevant information about your diet. Blood tests are also performed to determine the presence of uric acid in the blood and joint fluid.
In the acute phase, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and colchicine can be used to treat an acute gout attack. However, these drugs can have serious side effects, including stomach pain and bleeding. Also, patients should discuss any co-morbid medical conditions with their doctor before starting any treatment.
NSAIDs such as ibuprofen and indomethacin are common medications used for gout. These drugs are effective in reducing pain and swelling during an attack, but should not be used in the long-term because they can cause stomach and mood changes. For chronic gout, physicians may prescribe corticosteroids or allopurinol. These drugs are very effective at reducing the production of uric acid and preventing gout attacks.
Acute gout attack is often the first symptom of the disease and comes without warning. Patients with the disease can develop new attacks, so it’s important to seek treatment as soon as possible. The initial attack is often accompanied by swelling, redness, and tenderness. Some patients report the pain is so severe that even light contact with the affected joint is unbearable. In such cases, even the lightest bed sheet can aggravate the situation.
Gout treatment options are usually successful and do not require surgery. While diet alone can help with mild cases, chronic medication may be necessary for the best results. This medication will help prevent further damage to the joints and bones, as well as the kidneys.
Preventing gout
There are many different ways of preventing gout. One way is to reduce your uric acid levels. Keeping uric acid levels below 6 mg/dL can help prevent gout attacks. Another way is to take an anti-inflammatory medication. This medicine can help you avoid gout attacks for up to six months.
Drinking plenty of water is also a good way to prevent flare-ups. An adult man needs approximately 15.5 cups of fluid daily, while an adult woman needs about 11.5 cups. About 20 percent of that fluid should come from food, such as soup. Besides water, you can drink milk, tart cherry juice, and nettle leaf tea. These drinks contain anti-inflammatory properties that can help prevent flare-ups.
Regular exercise is also essential. Exercise helps to support joint function, reduces joint pain and stiffness, and helps maintain a healthy weight. Ideally, you should do 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week. It’s also possible to break this into several shorter sessions. Two 15-minute walks daily can help you reach your 150-minute goal.
Another way of preventing gout is to reduce the amount of uric acid in your blood. Gout occurs when uric acid levels rise above normal. The enzyme uricase helps break down uric acid into allantoin and excretes it in the urine. Since humans do not have this enzyme, their uric acid levels are higher than normal and are more susceptible to gout.
You should also avoid alcohol and food high in purine, which is responsible for raising uric acid levels. Alcohol causes more uric acid to be reabsorbed by the kidneys and increases the amount of purine in the blood. Low-fat dairy products and vegetable protein are also low in purine content, and they may not increase your risk of gout. Moreover, you should drink plenty of water throughout the day to avoid dehydration, which increases your risk of gout flare-ups.
While many primary care practitioners can effectively treat gout, it is advisable to seek advice from a rheumatologist when the condition is difficult to manage. A consultation with a rheumatologist is also necessary if uric acid-lowering medication does not work. Also, medication side effects may make treatment difficult.
