What Are The Symptoms Of Gout

                

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Gout is an arthritis-based condition in which the body produces high levels of uric acid that forms crystals in the blood. These crystals travel through the body and are deposited in joints throughout the body, usually settling in the big toes, causing severe pain and swelling. An attack of gout usually lasts between five and ten days and is excruciating.

Gout is almost always found in men who are over the age of forty, but it can also occur in women who are in menopause.

No one knows for certain what causes gout, although some studies suggest that there are a number of different causes. There may be a defect in the person's metabolism that causes the body to create and retain too much uric acid. Another cause may be that the kidney is damaged to the point of preventing the disposal of uric acid.

If a person is being treated for high blood pressure, Thiazide diuretic medications may cause an onset of gout. There are certain blood diseases and cancers that may also get it started.

There are four stages in diagnosing gout.

Asymptomatic stage is when the uric acid in the blood is extremely high, but there are no symptoms of gout. No swelling and no pain.

The acute stage is when it is gout is most painful. The pain starts in the joints as a dull ache and quickly becomes excruciating. Swelling soon follows and the affected area will be very hot. Your joints will turn red and look as though you are bruised.

The intercritical stage is when the patient does not have gout attacks on a regular basis. The attack can be spread out between six months to two years of each other. There are reported cases when an attack has not re-occurred for ten years.

The chronic stage is perhaps the worse stage of all. This is when joints are extremely painful because of large crystals that are not only deposited in the joints, but also in between the bones, in membranes and soft tissue.

It is easy to recognize gout because the skin that is covering the crystal deposits develops ulcers that leak. A lesser, but equally painful, symptom is stiffness, leaving the patient unable to move the areas that are affected.

When diagnosing gout, your doctor will order blood tests and x-rays.

The blood tests are to determine the level of uric acid that is in your blood and the x-rays are to find where the crystal deposits are and to determine what the extent of the damage is.

The treatment for Gout is different for each person. Usually it is treated through medication and dietary changes. By following your doctor's instructions, you can lessen the severity of each attack.The above information about Gout is submitted to us from Heather Colman at: gout-talk.info.

Gout Symptoms

                

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Gout is a common disease and often presents suddenly with a painful joint. The most common and well-recognized symptom is swelling of the joint in the big toe where it joins the foot. This can be extremely painful and enlarged and if not treated the pain will last about 10 days and can cause lasting damage with repeated attacks. The area can be red, hot, inflamed and very painful or tender.

Kidney stones can form due to gout and can cause back pain. Other joints such as the knee, fingers and heel can also be affected. Some people get lumps on the rim of the ear or other parts of the body near joints under the skin and these are called tophi.

Over the long term there can be deformity of joints and there can be many large lumps under the skin. Nowadays with proper treatment this is less likely. The symptoms can last from three to ten days and often get better even without treatment. The next attack may occur many months or even years later. Usually (and fortunately) only one joint is affected at a time and the symptoms of the swelling and pain start within a day.

The definite diagnosis or determining if the arthritis is due to gout may involve drawing fluid from the joint and looking for crystals of uric acid.

People may have an elevated uric acid also called hyperuricemia but have no symptoms. Later they may develop acute gouty arthritis where the joint is affected. Almost three fourths of people with gout will develop it in the big toe at some point of time. In between attacks the gout is said to be in an interval or intercritical phase and finally some people get chronic tophaceous (with the tophi) gout.



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Gout Treatments to Get Rid of That Ouch!

                

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A large number of people in all parts of the world suffer from a common form of arthritis known as gout. In the United Kingdom alone, an estimated 600,000 people are afflicted with this painful disease. Fortunately, there are many gout treatments that are available. Choosing the right one would depend on the patient's specific condition; whether he is suffering from acute or chronic gout. A physician may prescribe medication to treat a sudden attack or to manage the condition in the long-term. The goal of gout treatments is fast pain relief and of course, the prevention of recurrence.

Gout occurs mostly in men who are 45 years and older. Typically, many sufferers are overweight and drink alcoholic beverages regularly. The disease can also occur in women (although in much smaller numbers) who are usually at the post-menopausal stage. Some of the historical figures who have suffered from gout include former U.S. President Thomas Jefferson, England's King Henry VIII, and the poet Pablo Neruda. The disease usually affects only one joint at a time and largely affects the joint of the big toe, although it can also occur in the ankles, legs, knees, feet, wrists, elbows, and hands. The slightest bit of pressure on the afflicted joint can bring on intense and stabbing pain.

A person may develop gout if he has excessively high uric acid levels in his body, which are not flushed out. Little uric crystals resembling table salt will then form and lodge in the lining of joints and irritate and inflame them. Purines, a kind of chemical that is found in the body and in many kinds of food, play a major role in the elevation of uric acid levels; that's why nutritionists and physicians advise those suffering from gout to lessen their consumption of purine-rich foods, such as so-called organ meats (liver and kidneys), herring, anchovies, and beans. Also, patients should refrain from drinking alcohol, since alcohol can hinder the body's elimination of uric acid.

For rapid pain relief and reduced swelling, doctors will usually prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as indomethacin or naproxen. Patients with a greater severity of pain might benefit from steroid drugs like prednisone. These medications, and others such as colchicine, are used to relieve pain and swelling, but they do nothing to lower the body's uric acid levels. For long-term prevention of attacks, a physician will prescribe other types of medication. These may include allopurinol, probenecid, and sulfinpyrazone. In many cases, a patient may take a combination of these drugs both to treat sudden flare-ups and for preventive purposes.

There are also a number of gout treatments that make use of the principles of natural or herbal medicine. Many dietary supplements that contain natural ingredients are recommended to relieve pain and reduce inflammation. For instance, turmeric, ginger, and bromelain have strong anti-inflammatory properties. The bark of phellodendron also has similar properties, but it should not be taken internally -- it is applied directly to the skin above the inflamed joint. Dietary supplements that contain fish oils and other essential fatty acids are also recommended for gout sufferers, since they help bring down the body's uric acid levels.

Getting adequate intake of vitamins and minerals is important, but it seems that some vitamins and minerals are more effective than others in providing pain relief and preventing the recurrence of gout. Research shows that vitamin C can help the body get rid of excess uric acid faster, while folic acid can lower the body's uric acid levels. Vitamin E, on the other hand, helps inhibit leukotrienes, which can increase inflammation and promote tissue damage.

Some treatments can seem unusual at first glance, but many swear that they work. For instance, anecdotal evidence suggests that eating about half a pound of cherries a day or drinking lots of cherry juice can significantly reduce pain and swelling. Another home remedy involves the use of a charcoal poultice; it's believed that charcoal draws certain chemicals from the afflicted joint, thus reducing pain and swelling. Then there are those who recommend that people suffering from gout should eat an apple after every meal, drink diluted lime juice three times a day, or drink string bean juice everyday for one month.

Some of these gout treatments may sound funny, while others have the full backing of the medical community behind them. Before you decide to embark on any treatment regimen, consult your physician, who will be best able to map out a plan to rid you of the pain of gout in the fastest and safest possible manner.

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