Gout is a form of arthritis that suddenly causes and severe attack of pain in the joints. There are times when symptoms get worst and known as a flare. When are no symptoms, known as remission.
There is no cure for gout, however, you can efficiently treat and control the situation with drugs and self-management plans.
What are the signs and symptoms of gout?
Gout flare unexpectedly starts and can be last days, weeks, months or years. Typically, gout happens in one or two joints at the times and frequently is found in the big toe. With the big toe, it commonly affected along joints with big toes are ankle and the knee, but it is lesser than the big toe.
- Intense joint pain
- Joint swelling
- The skin throughout the joint may look red and shiny
- Affected joints may be hot to touch
What causes gout?
Hyperuricemia is caused to have gout. It means there is too much uric acid in the body. The body system makes uric acid when it breaks down purines, which are found in the meal you consume and in the body. Uric acid crystal or monosodium urate can build up in joints, fluid, and tissue when there is too much uric acid in the body. Furthermore, hyperuricemia does not always cause gout, and it shows no symptoms of gout do not need to be treated.
What increases your chance for gout?
You are more probable to have a high chance to attack with gout if:
- You are men.
- You have a family history with gout.
- You are having certain health conditions:
- Insulin resistance
- Metabolic syndrome
- Poor Kidney function
- You have high levels of uric acid in your blood vessel.
- You drink too much alcohol.
- You eat a diet rich in meat, sweetbread, offal, shellfish, and fructose.
- You are obese or overweight.
- You use diuretics
- You are dehydrated
- You crash diet
How is gout diagnosed?
To know whether you have gout, there are various of tests to diagnose gout include:
- Medical of history
- Physical examination
- Blood tests to measure urate level
- Removing a sample from the joint. If you have gout, uric acid crystal can be seen under a microscope.
- Ultrasound can detect early crystal formation in the fluid between your joints.
- X-ray
Gout can be diagnosed only at the time that a flare when your joints are hot, painful, and painful.
How is gout treated?
Gout can be efficiently treated and controlled with medical treatment and self-care plans. Moreover, your healthcare provider may advise a medical treatment plan to:
- Management of the pain of a flare: treatment of this condition by adherence nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) such as ibuprofen, steroids, and anti-inflammatory drug colchicine.
- Prevent future flare: adjust lifestyle behavior such as losing weight, consuming less purine-rich in food, limit alcohol drinking, which helps to prevent a future attack.
- Prevent tophi and kidney stones: as a result of chronic high levels of uric acid.
References
- Musculoskeletal Australia. (2019, February 26). Retrieved April 2020, from Gout: https://www.msk.org.au/gout/
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019, January 28). Retrieved April 2020, from Arthritis: Gout: https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/gout.html
Add comment