Recognizing Gout Symptoms

                

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The symptoms, and problems associated with gout affect a great many people. Although, it is rare in children and young adults, gout is still estimated to occur in approximately 840 out of every 100,000 people.

Adult men, between the ages of 40 and 50, are those most likely to develop gout. Adult women may also be affected, but rarely develop the disorder before menopause.

The symptoms of gout can be quite difficult for doctors to diagnose because they can be rather vague, and may often mimic other conditions. One of the conditions would be a joint infection. This can either be confirmed, or ruled out by checking for the presence of bacteria.

In order to confirm a diagnosis of gout, a doctor may draw a sample of synovial fluid (this substance lubricates the joint) through the use of a needle inserted into an inflamed joint. This fluid sample is then examined by a microscope with the technician looking for the presence of monosodium urate crystals. However, this is not totally conclusive. The absence of these crystals does not completely rule out the gout diagnosis. Additional gout testing may include the examining of the chalky, sodium urate deposits (tophi) located around the joints.

Common Gout Symptoms

* Severe pain in the area of a joint.

* The presence of uric acid crystals in the joint fluid.

* Multiple attacks of acute arthritis.

* A swollen, red, and warm joint that developed arthritis in one day.

* Hyperuricemia (a high level of uric acid in the blood).

* Arthritis attacks effecting only one joint, usually a knee, ankle, or toe. This is referred to as Monoarticular Gout, and 60% of the time will turn up in the big toe.

* Symptoms in the elderly will usually occur in the joints of the upper extremities; especially in the fingers. These gout symptoms will occur in multiple joints, and are referred to as Polyarticular Gout.

* Additional associated symptoms of gout may include, fever, chills, and a loss of appetite.

Should you be diagnosed with gout, it will be very important for you to take any prescribed medication regularly, adhere to any lifestyle changes that you have been advised to make, follow the necessary dietary changes, and maintain a healthy weight.

Recognizing gout symptoms, and controlling the condition will greatly enhance ones quality of life.

Copyright &copy2007 Carl DiNello

Carl DiNello is an Article Author whose articles are featured on websites covering the Internet's most popular topics.

To read more on this topic, please visit Natural Gout Treatments!

You may republish this article on your website, or e-zine so long as none of the content, or author information has been edited or changed in any way, and all links are left active and unchanged.

Effective Gout Treatment

                

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With proper gout treatment, most people will be able to control their symptoms, and lead productive lives. Gout can be effectively treated with one, or a combination of therapies.

The Goals Of Gout Treatment

* To ease the pain of acute attacks

* To prevent future attacks

* The prevention of tophi (deposits of uric acid)

* The prevention of kidney stones

* The prevention of disability, as a result of gout Acute attacks of gout should be treated as soon as possible. The most common treatments are daily high doses of nonsteriodal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) taken orally, or corticosteriods which may be taken orally, or injected directly into the joint.

The most commonly prescribed NSAIDS are Indocin, Anaprox, and Naprosyn. These drugs will work to reduce the inflammation caused by deposits of uric acid crystals.

The most commonly prescribed corticosteriod is Prednisone. This is a strong anti-inflammatory hormone. With this treatment, patients will often improve within a few hours, and the attack will completely subside within a week.

Should these two gout treatment methods fail to control the symptoms, the doctor may consider a drug called Colchicine. Most effective when taken within the first 12 hours of an attack, the doctor may request that the patient take this medication hourly until symptoms subside, or side effects make continuation uncomfortable. These unpleasant side effects may include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, or diarrhea. Doctors advise their patients to keep a supply of medications on hand, and to begin self-medication at the first sign of an acute attack.

To Help Prevent Future Attacks

* Carefully follow the instructions and take all medications prescribed by the doctor.

* Inform the doctor about all other medications, and vitamins you are taking. Some may increase your risk of hyperuricemia.

* Keep an eye on your progress with regular visits to the doctor.

* Eat a healthy and balanced diet avoiding foods that are high in purines.

* Help to remove uric acid from the body by drinking plenty of fluids, especially water.

* Try to exercise regularly, and maintain a healthy body weight. If you are overweight, lose some weight, but do so without a diet designed for quick weight loss. These diets may increase the amount of uric acid in the blood.

For those who suffer from gout, the combination of effective gout treatment, along with disciplined prevention measures can restore your enjoyment of life.

Copyright &copy2007 Carl DiNello

Carl DiNello is an Article Author whose articles are featured on websites covering the Internet's most popular topics.

To read more on this topic, please visit Natural Gout Treatments!

You may republish this article on your website, or e-zine so long as none of the content, or author information has been edited or changed in any way, and all links are left active and unchanged.

Diets That Help Control Gout

                

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Gout is a disease that affects body joints, especially the ones from the extremities. Gout means a high production of uric acid that can not be eliminated. Uric acid is a waste product of the body that occurs when certain types of foods are eaten. With the help of the kidneys the body eliminates the uric acid. Though, the surplus that can not be eliminated will deposit in joints or soft tissues. That explains why the most affected parts of the body are the joints, particularly the big toe, the feet, the ankles, the arms and hands.

Since the ancient times gout was considered as a disease caused by diets. Gout is the result of excessive consumption of foods and alcohol, and may occur if high purine foods are eaten regularly. Alcohol drank regularly may also lead to gout. Usually men around 40 catch this disease. They represent a high percentage of the patients. Women are not at risk such as men. In most of the cases women develop gout at menopause, around the age of 50.

Nowadays we have the certitude that gout is a disease that is strictly connected to several factors such as diet, alcohol intake or high doses of medication.

For avoiding gout, people should limit the intake of foods high in purine because purine creates uric acid. Most of the foods of animal origin contain purine. These foods are not restricted but a moderate consumption is recommended. Also recommended are the vegetables especially those with apigenin but other flavonoids too. Apigenin is found in vegetables like parsley, thyme and peppermint. Because of the chemicals they contain, black berries are also recommended for people with gout.

Years ago specialists believed that high purine vegetables such as peas, spinach, mushrooms or asparagus affect the human body and may lead to gout. Now our specialists know that these vegetables are unable to increase the risk of gout.

It is recommended for patients to be informed about the diet that they should follow in order to control gout. They should know that the source of body protein should not be meats as before and they should rely on low-fat diary products and soy. They should also give up consuming high fat products and should figure out a way to replace them. Beer should be avoided because is the main cause of developing gout. Patients with gout also need to stay hydrated so at least 8 cups of fluid a day is necessary.

For more information about gout treatments please review http://www.gout-info-center.com/gout-symptoms.htm%3c/a> or even http://www.gout-info-center.com/gout-treatments.htm

Top Foods To Avoid With Gout

                

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Did you know that gout is the only form of arthritis that can be relieved by what you eat? Therefore, if you have had a gout attack or gout runs in your family it is wise to understand which foods to avoid with gout to stop any of the nasty symptoms.

Gout is tremendously painful and it's on the increase. It used to be an affliction that made the lives of the rich a misery because of their rich diet and high alcohol consumption. Nowadays, as society has got wealthier we are leaving ourselves wide open for gout due to our reliance on processed foods, red meats and increased alcohol consumption.

Traditionally effecting men, more than women, bouts of gout are increasing for both groups.

Gout is caused by a condition known as hyperuricemia. This is where there are raised levels of uric acid in the blood. Although not dangerous in itself, hyperuricemia can lead to the development of gout.

When uric acid levels reach saturation point in the blood stream, small deposits are made in the spaces and connective tissues of the joints. These deposits crystallize, causing sharp, jagged needles that are the reason behind the swift swelling, redness and pain characterized by a gout attack.

Hyperuricemia is caused by an increase production of uric acid in the blood or the kidneys being unable to process uric acid effectively. This can be for hereditary reasons or by eating too many purine-rich foods, drinking alcohol heavily and becoming dehydrated.

Purine is a natural compound found in a lot of our food, particularly animal proteins. When ingested the body goes to work, breaking the purine down and producing uric acid as a result. Purine is found in high levels in processed foods and some alcohol, beer in particular. It stands to reason that having a diet high in animal and purine-rich foods, along with drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can lead to gout, especially if it is a condition that runs in the family.

Staying hydrated is a good first step in your defense against gout. By drinking at least 8 - 10 eight ounce glasses of water a day, you are ensuring that the uric acid in your body is diluted, allowing your kidneys to efficiently deal with eliminating the excess via your urine.

However, to really go about lowering uric acid levels you need to look at your diet and make some amendments, as there are a few foods to avoid with gout. Among the worst offenders are:

Most meats
Offal
Meat extracts
Game meats
Processed meat
Gravy
yeast extracts
Mackerel
Sardines
Scallops
Anchovies
Herring
Chocolate
Caffeinated beverages
Legumes ie. peas, beans & lentils
Asparagus
Mushrooms

These foods are very high in purine and should be avoided, especially during a gout flare-up. Once gout symptoms are under control, small volumes of these foods can be eaten, however, it must only be moderation and you will be running a risk of experiencing further gout attacks.

The best way to manage your gout through diet is to look at changing the foods you eat as a lifestyle choice rather than a diet. That way you bypass the feelings of 'missing out' and your new food choices become habit.

Although the list of foods to avoid with gout is fairly extensive, there are plenty of other delicious foods that are okay to eat. Find out more on our site where you can sign up for a free newsletter.

By Lisa McDowell. Sign up for a free newsletter & discover how a knowledge of foods to avoid with gout can be an effective natural cure for gout.

What is gout and how can it be treated?

                

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Gout is just one of the many forms of arthritis, an affection of the joints that can be found in millions of people. Gout is the most encountered type of arthritis, and it manifests as an attack that usually appears during the night. The joint that is affected by the gout attack is the one that can be found in one of the big toes in most cases, (the big toe's ball) but gout can affect one of the joints from the ankles too. If gout is left untreated then the attacks start to appear more and more often and they will spread to other joints. In this situation treatment is required, because gout can turn into chronic gout and cripple the joints.

Gout appears at people who have too much uric acid in their body. Uric acid is created from the food which is digested and decomposed into its basic elements which are absorbed by the body. Sometimes there is too much uric acid in the blood. This uric acid starts to crystallize in the joints and causes irritation and inflammation and soon, gout occurs.
Therefore, the cause of gout is too much uric acid in the blood.
But what can cause the level of uric acid found in the blood to raise above the normal limit?
Well this can be caused by obesity, certain types of medication, or too much alcohol consumption.

If you want to prevent or treat gout then you need to reduce the levels of uric acid from the blood. You can do this by changing your diet so that it doesn't contain the types of food that contain purines, substances that raises the uric acid level. Red meat, peas, liver and shellfish are foods that have a lot of purines in them. So you should eat very little, or avoid eating any of the mentioned above.
There is also medication that can lower the amount of uric acid from the body but don't take any unless the doctor tells to do so because this medication can cause problems if the dose is not properly controlled.

If gout is left untreated for a long time then complications can appear. This happens because uric salts start to gather around the joints and cause small bulges. These bulges are treated with special medication prescribed by the doctor.

So if you have suffered from a gout attack visit your doctor soon and listen carefully to his advice. You will be given some pills that you have to take every day and you will be advised to change your diet to reduce the uric acid from the blood. If you do so you won't have any problems with gout anymore.
If you are intersted in finding more information about gout you can click on this website http://www.gout-info-center.com. Also you will find there valuable information about gout symptoms and causes of gout.

The Signs of Gout and Gout Symptoms

                

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 Gout is a type of arthritis that causes the inflammation of the joints. Gout mostly affects the joints of the lower body (toes, heels, ankles, knees), but it can also affect other joints (elbows, spine, shoulders and hand wrists). The disease can sometimes cause damage to skin and soft tissue (tendons and muscles), which have decreased flexibility and integrity.

The most common gout symptoms are discomfort, sourness, swelling and intense pain of the affected area. In most patients with the disease, the first gout symptoms appear at the level of the big toe. The skin around the affected regions turns yellow, appears to be stretched and bruised. People who suffer from gout usually experience pain attacks that may last anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours and in some cases, even days. In most cases, the pain attacks seem to amplify at night and many people with gout have trouble sleeping. The regions affected by gout become very sensitive and people with the disease can?t tolerate clothing or shoes.

Gout is mainly caused by the accumulation of uric acid (waste product that is collected and eliminated by the kidneys through urine) inside the body. The surplus of uric acid tends to crystallize and deposit in different parts of the body. One of the most disturbing gout symptoms is the inflammation of soft tissue. Sometimes, the crystallized uric acid forms tophi, painful lumps under the skin. Sometimes, tophi may even tare up the skin, causing infections.

Gout symptoms can be ameliorated by diet and lifestyle. Keeping a proper diet is a good way of handling the effects of the disease. In some cases, good diets are even more effective in overcoming gout than the actual treatment prescribed for the disease. The treatment of gout usually deals only with local inflammation and pain, and its effects are temporary. Pain episodes and inflammation are known to reoccur even under intense medication. A good diet, however, eases gout symptoms and also minimizes their chances of reappearing. Gout diets consist mainly of low-purine foods that don?t add to the amount of uric acid in the body. By drinking plenty of water you help the kidneys excrete the surplus of uric acid (around two liters of water each day are required).

Gout symptoms also tend to amplify in the case of people who are overweight. Obesity is known to facilitate the accumulation of uric acid inside the body. Also, overweight people that suffer from gout are more exposed to injuries of the joints. It is very important to try losing the extra weight when suffering from gout.

Smoking and the consumption of alcohol are considered to be factors that support and aggravate gout symptoms. Alcohol interferes with the normal renal activity, causing the kidneys to release less uric acid through urine, while smoking seriously damages arteries, affects blood circulation and slows down the process of healing. When suffering from gout, it is very important to reduce these factors of risk, as they only cause damage to the body.
So, if you want to find out more information about gout and especially about gout symptoms, please visit these links, you'll find one of the best gout information websites.