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Gout arthritis is a disease affecting the joint. It is caused by the build up of uric acid forming crystals of monosodium urate that are deposited on the articular cartilage of joints, tendons and surrounding tissues.
The crystals cause severe inflammation and pain in the joints and usually affect one joint at a time. If the condition remains untreated, the crystals will give rise to tophi, which can cause severe damage to the tissue.
The combination of high concentrations of uric acid or hyperuricemia and acidity in the blood stream is the precursor of gout arthritis. However, if taken separately, their incidence is not sufficient enough to cause gout.
The large toe is the main target of gout. However, it can also affect other joints in the leg, particularly the knee, ankle, and foot. In some severe cases, joints in the arm, including the hands, wrists, fingers, and elbows are also affected by gout.
Causes of Gout Arthritis
This disease was once known to be a disease of the rich and the famous. It was attributed to excessive consumption of rich food and wine. Although diet is a causative agent, it is not the main cause of the condition.
This medical condition is a result of abnormal deposits of uric crystals in the joint cartilage. These crystals are later introduced into the synovial fluid.
However, not all persons with high concentration of uric acid will develop gout. This is dependent on the ability of the kidney to rid of the body of uric acid. This medical condition points to the heredity factor which explains partly why certain individual are predisposed to this medical condition.
This joint problem is defined as either primary, including idiopathic, or secondary, or complication, to another medical condition. Persons who consume high amounts of protein rich foods develop high levels of uric acid.
Excessive intake of alcohol also results to elevated concentrations of uric acid. Hereditary factors, like inborn errors of purine-pyrimidine metabolism, make one predisposed to gout. Individuals who are obese, diabetic and hypertensive are also suffering from gout. This is the reason why it is generally seen as a disease of the affluent societies.
This joint problem can be a complication of other diseases like metabolic syndrome and leukemia. The secondary gout can also be a co-morbidity of other diseases including polycythaemia, obesity, diabetes, and hypertension.
Gout Signs and Symptoms
A patient with gout arthritis experiences excruciating pain, unexpected and burning pain, accompanied by swelling, redness and stiffness in the affected joint.
Men are usually more vulnerable than women especially in the large toe but it can also appear in other parts of their body. In some severe cases, the attack is accompanied by a low grade fever.
Gout Management and Treatment
Contrary to common understanding, there is no cure for gout. What we are trying to treat and manage are the symptoms which can leave us debilitated when we suffer severe attacks.
The medical treatment has three objectives:
* Manage the symptoms
* Prevent attacks
* Reduce uric acid levels in the blood.
Your doctor will follow a treatment regimen depending on several factors. These include age, type of medications you are presently taking, overall health condition, medical history, and severity of gout attacks.
The primary treatment regimen involves the anti-inflammatory drugs. This treatment regimen includes: NSAIDs; corticosteroids; and colchicine.
Patients also follow a strict diet to correct the serum level of uric acid. Doctors will also advise their patients to completely refrain from drinking alcohol.
Treatment and management of gout arthritis is a combination of medication, right diet and a healthy lifestyle to lower the serum level of uric acid.
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