A General Overview Of Gout
A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF GOUT
Gout is a form of arthritis associated with recurrent painful attacks of body
joints. When the attack is mainly in the big toe, the disease is referred to as
podagra. The pain is as a result of severe inflammations of the affected areas
leading to redness and swelling. Gout has been found to occur in the mid-age
and research has shown that men are more susceptible to gout. A greater
percentage of women diagnosed with gout every year are beyond menopause. Gout
is rare in people under 30 years but this does not rule out chances of attack
to those who are highly subjected to the main contributors of the disease
discussed below.
Causes of Gout
Gout is caused by accumulation of uric acid which is a waste product formed
through chemical breakdown in the vital organs. About 70 percent of uric acid
is produced in the kidney while the remainder is produced in the digestive
system.
-Dietary causes: consumption of foods such as beef, pork, bacon, seafood and
others increase the level of uric acid in the body thus increasing the chances
of gout.
-Alcohol drinking: alcoholic drinks increase production of uric acid in the
liver and also reduce the rate of removal of the acid through urine. This
results to accumulation of uric acid thus increasing the possibility of gout.
-Age and gender factors: the level of uric aid in the body has been found to
rise during puberty in men. On the other hand, women have been found to
experience the same after menopause. This increased level of the acid together
with other reasons, explains the reason why gout is common with older people.
-Medications: some medications such as low dose aspirin used to treat headache,
chemotherapy used to treat cancer and diuretics used to treat hypertension can
raise the lever of uric acid in the body.
-Medical conditions: conditions such as diabetes, kidney problems, psoriasis,
hypertension, hyperlipidaemia and vascular disease can risk gout development.
Signs and symptoms of Gout
-Severe joint pain: in many people, the big toe joint experiences more pain;
however the pain also occurs in knees, feet, ankles, hands and wrists. The pain
worsens between 12 to 24 hours.
-Redness and inflammation: the joint that is affected swells, becomes red and
tender. Touching the joint adds more pain.
-Lingering discomfort: joint discomforts are experienced after the
disappearance of the pain. This may last for a few days; however, future
attacks may lead to pains that persist for a longer duration.
Diagnosis and treatment of Gout
A through examination of the patient’s health is carried out. A blood test can
be carried to check the level of uric acid; however the test may indicate
normal levels since the acid may have formed crystals in joints. An x-ray may
also be taken for the affected joint. The treatment of gout involves
medications to reduce pain and inflammations such as indomenthacin, naprosyn
and steroids such as prednisone. Colchicines are also used to block uric acid
production. Also, to prevent future attacks, sulfinpyrazone medications may be
used to enhance uric acid excretion.
Finally, dietary measures should be taken to reduce future effects or
occurrence of gout. People should thus reduce consumption of meat and sea food
as advised by the physician to acheive gout relief.
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