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Gout is an extremely painful form of arthritis that is caused from a build up of uric acid in the body. Strangely enough, the illness usually only strikes one joint of the body at a time, most often occurring in the big toe, the ankle or the knee. It can also affect the heels, wrists, elbows and fingers.
This is usually a very swift acting form of arthritis where the pain occurs almost instantly, instead of building up over time. As well, an attack of this kind usually lasts 3-10 days before going away with or without treatment and another attack could be years or months away. |
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What Can I Do To Prevent Gout?
The main gout symptoms of this painful arthritis are stiffness in the joints, a sensation of heat, redness in the joint area, swelling and severe pain. Usually a build-up of uric acid will actually look like a large lump underneath the skin. Although the uric acid will provide these gout symptoms in a joint, uric acid crystals can also cause painful kidney stones at the same time. This is often how doctors diagnose the illness.
Usually doctors diagnose gout by first discussing family history, then asking if you had a very sudden and painful case of arthritis. The location of the gout is extremely important as the first occurrence is often in the big toe. From here, doctors will test the urine and the blood to determine if there are heightened levels of uric acid.
When uric acid is functioning normally, it usually dissolves in the bloodstream, passing through the kidneys and out of the body. Because of stressful events, excessive alcohol, ingestion of too many purines, found in foods such as beans, peas, sardines, anchovies, and yeast, people become susceptible to a build-up of uric acid in the body.
Keep in mind that not everyone with high uric acid levels develops gout. If the uric acid stays in the bloodstream, a person will be considered hyperuricemia. If instead the uric acid finds its way into the body, it will usually build-up on the joints, most often the big toe because of its location on the body.
Some individuals are more susceptible to the disease. These include those people with a family history, eat foods that cause gout, those who drink excessive alcohol, exposed to lead in the environment, are on medications that could case a build-up, or those who are overweight.
For gout treatment, doctors will often use anti-inflammatories and corticosteroid shots. There are also medications available that can be taken in small doses in order to prevent future attacks.
In order to prevent gout, individuals can maintain a healthy lifestyle, which includes a balanced diet and exercise. Drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day, as well, limited alcohol intake is very important. Avoiding, or limiting, foods that cause gout is also extremely important. You may also want to discuss the types of vitamins and OTC drugs you take with your doctor to ensure that none of these will increase your changes or a uric acid build-up in the system.
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