GOUT, also identified as gouty arthritis, is a form of inflammatory arthritis. This bleak condition affects the joints and musculoskeletal system.
This condition is characterized by the unexpected onset of severe burning pains, redness, tenderness, stiffness and swelling in the joints, usually in the base of the big toe. When the big toe is corrupted, the infection is also regarded as podagra. Severe gout occasionally affects many joints at the same time, which is called as polyarticular gout.
What causes gout arthritis?
Gout is caused by undue uric acid in the blood. Normally, having too much uric acid is not constantly unsafe and harmful. In fact, nearly all people with high levels of uric acid don’t have gout arthritis. However, when uric-acid level in the blood is soaring, it may shape hard crystals in your joints.
Who are at risk?
Besides, men, particularly between the ages of 40 and 50, are more prone to be infected, although women become more vulnerable after menopausal period. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) reported that 6 million adults 20 years old and older have been diagnosed with gout.
Alarmingly, it can inspire enduring damage to joints and kidneys; however, it will normally take a lengthy period of about 10 years, without any proper treatment means, to arrive at the advanced level.
What are the symptoms?
The most common symptoms of gout are nighttime attack of swelling, tenderness, redness and sharp pain in big toes. Gout attacks in ankle, feet, knees and joints may also be in attendance.
Beneficially, medicalnewstoday.com shares tidings and informative bits of gout arthritis’ stages, diagnostic test and treatment procedures.
What are the stages of gout arthritis?
Asymptomatic. hyperuricemia People may have high potentials of having hyperuricemia, or elevated uric levels, even without apparent symptoms. At this stage of the disease, asymptomatic treating action is not requisite, through urate crystals are being deposited in tissue and ensuing minimal damage. It is, indeed, advisable for the patients with asymptomatic hyperuricemia to take initial footsteps of addressing probable factors causative to uric-acid build up.
• Acute gout. On the other hand, this period arise when urate crystals had been deposited rapidly cause severe or acute inflammation and intense pain. This sudden attack is referred to as “flare” and will averagely diminish within three to 10 days. Also, flares can be, at times, triggered by stressful events, alcohol, drugs and cold weather.
• Interval or intercritical gout. This stage is the phase in between attacks of acute gouts. Subsequent flares may not crop up for months or years, while, if not treated ultimately, they can last longer and occur more frequently. During this time, advance urate crystals are being deposited in tissue.
• Chronic tophaceous gout. Finally, this stage is the most distressing form of the disease, where undying injuries may unfortunately happen in the joints and the kidneys. The patient can sadly suffer from chronic arthritis and expand tophi, which are defined as large chunks of urate crystals, in cold parts of the body, such as the joints of the fingers.
What are diagnostic tests?
One diagnostic test that can be observed is joint fluid tests, in which the fluid is extracted from the affected joint using a needle. The fluid will be set for medical examination to identify if any urate acids are present. In addition, health experts can also conduct blood test to measure the uric acids in the blood.
What are treatment methods?
• Medications. Majority of gout arthritis cases are treated mostly through medications. Common used medications are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), colchicines, or colticosteroids. These medical drugs are taken orally and decrease inflammation and pain in areas affected by gout.
• Lifestyle. Following a helpful list of lifestyle and dietary guidelines are paramount to protect against future flares or prevent gout from occurring in the very first place.
People should abstain from alcohol usage and should sustain a high intake of liquid as much as 2 to 4 liters of water every day. Eating a balanced diet and maintaining a healthy body weight should also be considered.
Because uric acid is created during the digestion and breakdown of purines, patients can reduce the high concentration of uric acid in the blood by avoiding purine-rich foods, like asparagus, dried beans and peas, mushroom; and organ meats, such as liver and kidneys.