Understanding Gout Symptoms And Solutions You Can Really Use

                

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Gout is on the increase, but most people don't realize that it's a form of arthritis. When people are told this they can often get annoyed with the suggestion that they have arthritis, especially if they are on the young side ? Assuming that only more mature people get arthritis.

Proportionally gout effects more men than women, and women who are effected by it, most are post menopausal.

Gout is caused by an excess of uric acid in the body, which leads to a state called hyperuricemia. This condition is not dangerous in itself, however the knock on effects of the excess uric acid can cause health problems.

Uric acid build up can be caused by a number of factors. I can be a hereditary condition whereby the body doesn't process uric acid efficiently, or it could be simply that too much uric acid is being produced.

There are four stages to gout, during the first stage sufferers are unaware that they have gout as it involves the increase of uric acid in the blood without any physical symptoms.

The second stage is when the first gout attack happens. Gout attacks can come on extremely suddenly, even overnight. The effected joint becomes hot, swollen, red and painful. Gout usually strikes at the joints in the foot and ankle, most commonly the big toe. During this stage sufferers can become incapacitated, as often the joint is too painful to walk on.

The third stage is where sufferers have symptom free periods between gout attacks. It is common to have a second gout flare-up within 6 - 24 months of the first attack. It is important to seek treatment during this stage to reduce gout attacks, as the final stage of gout is serious.

The fourth stage is the chronic stage and involves consistently swollen sore joints, with sores developing on the skin over the joints. These can leak whitish pus. Mobility is often impaired too due to stiffness and pain. Most cases of gout do not develop this stage. To avoid any long term problems take a look at the natural solutions that you can implement right now:

Lose Weight
If you are overweight, losing the extra pounds can help to reduce the amount of uric acid produced by the body. Avoid the popular low-carb diets as these encourage a high consumption of protein, which will increase uric acid production.

Keep Hydrated
Drinking at least 6 - 8 eight ounce glasses of water a day will help to dilute the uric acid in the body, allowing the kidneys to process and expel it more easily. Limit your alcohol intake, as alcohol, especially beer, will raise your uric acid levels.

Gout Friendly Diet
Uric acid is produced naturally by the body from the breakdown of purine. Purines are found in a lot of our foods and especially protein. Following a gout-friendly diet involves avoiding foods that are high in purine and swapping these for moderate or low purine foods. Find out what not to eat by signing up to our free newsletter.

Understanding gout symptoms and solutions means that you will know what steps to take to avoid having another gout attack.

By Lisa McDowell. Sign up for a free newsletter & discover more about gout symptoms and solutions. Discover simple lifestyle changes that get rid of gout