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Gout: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, and Dietary Advice

Gout

Gout is a type of arthritis characterized by sudden, severe attacks of pain, swelling, redness, and tenderness in one or more joints, most often in the big toe. These episodes, known as gout attacks, can occur suddenly, often waking you up in the middle of the night with the sensation that your big toe is on fire. The affected joint is hot, swollen, and so tender that even the weight of the bedsheet may seem intolerable.

Symptoms of Gout

  • Intense Joint Pain: Gout usually affects the large joint of your big toe, but it can occur in any joint. Other commonly affected joints include the ankles, knees, elbows, wrists, and fingers. The pain is most severe within the first 4 to 12 hours after it begins.
  • Lingering Discomfort: After the most severe pain subsides, some joint discomfort may last from a few days to a few weeks. Later attacks are likely to last longer and affect more joints.
  • Inflammation and Redness: The affected joint or joints become swollen, tender, warm, and red.

Limited Range of Motion: As gout progresses, you may not be able to move your joints normally.

Causes and Risk Factors

Gout occurs when urate crystals accumulate in your joint, causing the inflammation and intense pain of a gout attack. Urate crystals can form when you have high levels of uric acid in your blood. Your body produces uric acid when it breaks down purines — substances that are found naturally in your body as well as in certain foods.

Factors that increase the uric acid level in your body include:

  • Diet: Eating a diet rich in meat and seafood and drinking beverages sweetened with fruit sugar (fructose) increases levels of uric acid, which increases your risk of gout. Alcohol consumption, especially of beer, also increases the risk of gout.
  • Obesity: If you’re overweight, your body produces more uric acid, and your kidneys have a more difficult time eliminating uric acid.
  • Medical Conditions: Certain diseases and conditions increase your risk of gout. These include untreated high blood pressure and chronic conditions such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and heart and kidney diseases.
  • Family History: If other members of your family have had gout, you’re more likely to develop the disease.
  • Age and Sex: Gout occurs more often in men, primarily because women tend to have lower uric acid levels. However, after menopause, women’s uric acid levels approach those of men. Men are also more likely to develop gout earlier — usually between the ages of 30 and 50 — whereas women generally develop signs and symptoms after menopause.

Recent Surgery or Trauma: Experiencing recent surgery or trauma has been associated with an increased risk of developing a gout attack

Diagnosis and Treatment

Diagnosing gout can be complex, as the symptoms are similar to those of other conditions, such as pseudogout. Your doctor may use several methods to diagnose gout:

  • Joint Fluid Test: Your doctor may use a needle to draw fluid from your affected joint. Urate crystals may be visible when the fluid is examined under a microscope.
  • Blood Test: Your doctor may recommend a blood test to measure the levels of uric acid and creatinine in your blood.
  • X-Ray Imaging: Joint X-rays can be helpful to rule out other causes of joint inflammation.
  • Ultrasound: Musculoskeletal ultrasound can detect urate crystals in a joint or in a tophus.

Dual-Energy CT Scan: This type of imaging can detect urate crystals in a joint, even when it is not acutely inflamed.

 

Living with Gout

Managing gout requires a combination of medical treatments and lifestyle changes. Regular exercise, a balanced diet low in purines, staying well-hydrated, and avoiding alcohol and sugary beverages can significantly help manage symptoms and prevent future attacks. Support groups and counseling can also be beneficial for coping with the emotional and psychological challenges of living with gout.

 

Take Control of Your Gout with Basin Rheumatology

At Basin Rheumatology, we are dedicated to providing comprehensive, personalized care for individuals with gout. Our team of specialists is committed to helping you manage your symptoms and enhance your quality of life.

Ready to Take the Next Step? Contact us today to learn more about our services or to schedule an appointment. Your journey to better health starts here.

Learn about relieving other illnesses such as Osteoarthritis symptoms in our joint care section,

Or Explore treatment pathways for Rheumatoid Arthritis in our chronic care approach.

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