Gout – OZIZA

Gout

What is gout?

Gout is a general term for a variety of conditions caused by a buildup of uric acid. This buildup usually affects the feet. If you have gout, you’ll probably feel swelling and pain in the joints of your foot, particularly your big toe. Sudden and intense pain, or gout attacks, can make it feel like your foot is on fire.

What are the symptoms of gout?

Some people have too much uric acid in their blood but no symptoms. This is called asymptomatic hyperuricemia. For acute gout, symptoms come on quickly from the buildup of uric acid crystals in your joint and last for 3 to 10 days. You will have intense pain and swelling, and your joint may feel warm. Between gout attacks, you won’t have any symptoms. If you don’t treat gout, it can become chronic.

Hard lumps called tophi can eventually develop in your joints and the skin and soft tissue surrounding them. These deposits can permanently damage your joints.

What are the risk factors and causes of gout?

The buildup of uric acid in your blood from the breakdown of purines causes gout. Certain conditions, such as blood and metabolism disorders or dehydration, make your body produce too much uric acid. A kidney or thyroid problem, or an inherited disorder, can make it harder for your body to remove excess uric acid.

You’re more likely to get gout if you:

Are a middle-aged man or postmenopausal woman
Have parents, siblings, or other family members with gout
Drink alcohol
Take medications such as diuretics and cyclosporine
Have a condition like high blood pressure, kidney disease, thyroid disease, diabetes, or sleep apnea
For some people, gout is caused by consuming foods that are high in gout-producing purines.

Most people can tolerate high-purine foods. But if your body has trouble releasing excess uric acid, you may want to avoid certain foods and drinks, such as:

Red meats
Organ meats
Certain seafood
Alcohol
Sugar-sweetened beverages and foods containing the sugar fructose can also be problematic, even though they don’t contain purines.

Some foods help reduce uric acid levels in the body and are good choices if you have gout.

How can you prevent gout?

Here are a few steps you can take to help prevent gout:

Limit how much alcohol you drink.
Limit how much purine-rich food, such as shellfish, lamb, beef, pork, and organ meat, you eat.
Eat a low-fat, nondairy diet that’s rich in vegetables.
Maintain a healthy weight
Avoid smoking
Exercise regularly
Stay hydrated
If you have medical conditions or take medications that raise your risk of gout, ask your doctor how you can lower your risk of gout attacks.

How is gout diagnosed?

Your doctor can diagnose gout based on a review of your medical history, a physical exam, and your symptoms. Your doctor will likely base your diagnosis on:

Your description of your joint pain
How often you’ve experienced intense pain in your joint
How red or swollen the area is

Your doctor may also order a test to check for a buildup of uric acid in your joint. A sample of fluid taken from your joint can show whether it contains uric acid. They may also want to take an X-ray of your joint.

How is gout treated?

If left untreated, gout can eventually lead to gouty arthritis, which is a more severe form of arthritis. This painful condition can leave your joint permanently damaged and swollen. The treatment plan your doctor recommends will depend on the stage and severity of your gout. Medications to treat gout work in one of two ways: They relieve pain and bring down inflammation, or they prevent future gout attacks by lowering uric acid levels. Drugs to relieve gout pain include: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin and ibuprofen ; colchicine (Colcrys, Mitigare) and corticosteroids.

Drugs that prevent gout attacks include: xanthine oxidase inhibitors, such as allopurinol and probenecid (Probalan). Along with medications, your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes to help manage your symptoms and reduce your risk of future gout attacks. For example, your doctor may encourage you to:

Reduce your alcohol intake, if you drink
Lose weight, if you’re overweight
Quit smoking, if you smoke

Gout surgery

Gout can typically be treated without surgery. But after many years, this condition can damage the joints, tear the tendons, and cause infections in the skin over the joints. Hard deposits, called tophi, can build up on your joints and in other places, like your ear. These lumps may be painful and swollen, and they can permanently damage your joints. Three surgical procedures treat tophi: