Gout is different from other forms of arthritis because it is caused by uric acid crystals. The crystals build up and collect in and around the joints. Although gout is progressive like other forms of arthritis, it does not normally attack the bones or other organs, which occurs with rheumatoid arthritis.
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If you're having an attack of gout, it is best to see your doctor right away so that he or she may examine your joint during the attack. This will likely confirm the diagnosis without the need for a lot of other testing. There are many effective treatments for gout. Your doctor can help decide what treatment is best for you and help you recognize any recurrences of gout that you may have and teach you how to treat them. -
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Treatment for hyperuricemia (high uric acid level) to prevent gout attacks aims to block the formation of uric acid. This is done with the medications allopurinol or febuxostat. Doctors can also use the medication probenecid to increase the excretion of uric acid through the kidneys. Another medication, pegloticase, breaks down the uric acid directly (pegloticase can cause rash, bruising, nausea, antibody formation, severe allergic reactions, exacerbation of heart failure and hemolytic anemia). -
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Intercritical gout -- the second stage of gout -- is when most untreated people experience a second episode within two years of the first. Around 62% of people have a flare within one year, 78% within two years, and 93% within 10 years. Typically, doctors begin treatment to lower uric acid levels when a person has had at least two flares in one year.
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Dr. James P. Ioli, DPM , Podiatric Medicine, answeredSee All 3 AnswersSymptoms of gout include:
- Jolts of pain in the affected joint
- Possible inflammation in the joint
- Increase in symptoms after eating some foods
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Discovery Health answeredSee All 2 AnswersGout may not impress those who have never experienced it. A type of arthritis afflicting more men than women, the most common symptom of gout is pain in the big toe. Those who have stubbed a toe and hopped around the room for a few minutes yelling may scoff at this, right? However, the pain of gout is so intense and severe that it may cripple the sufferer; even the slightest touch on the tender spot may propel him or her to scream in anguish. And though the big toe is the most common location for gout-related pain, the unbearable throbbing may spread to the ankles, wrists and elbows, and other joints.
The ancient Greeks used to treat gout attacks with a drug from the crocus lily bulb called colchicine. Not only did they suffer the pain associated with gout, but they then endured a battle of severe diarrhea in consequence to the cure.
If you've ever had an attack of the gout, you're in the company of admirable men. Benjamin Franklin, Alexander the Great, and Charlemagne, as well as Charles Darwin and Isaac Newton all suffered from it gout. Perhaps the most famous sufferer of all was Henry VIII of England, who in addition to having a voracious desire for wives was also quite the glutton. Every evening, he'd indulge in a side of venison accompanied by multiple glasses of wine. This regular diet of meat and alcohol, particularly organ meats like livers and kidneys, may aggravate the condition of gout. It is for this reason that gout has long been regarded as "the disease of kings," because historically, it was kings who could pay for the expense of such a decadent diet.
Now, however, many more people can eat a fatty Western diet, and gout affects now affects approximately 3 million Americans.
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See All 7 AnswersGout is a disease involving the deposition of crystals in and around joints. These crystals are made of uric acid and are seen almost as a foreign invader or infection to the immune system. The uric acid triggers immune inflammation, leading to redness, warmth, swelling and a good deal of pain in the affected joints. High levels of uric acid in the blood, from a variety of causes, leads to the deposition of these crystals in joints and around the joint tissue. The most common and classic presentation of gout is termed podagra. Podagra is the painful swelling of the joint at the base of the big toe, so painful that even a bed sheet brushing against it causes pain. Gout can progress to involve many other joints and is treated with a number of anti-inflammatory agents during flares, and ultimately by lowering the uric acid level in the blood. -
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See All 2 AnswersTo diagnose gout, doctors remove fluid from the joint and examine it under the microscope to see if there are uric acid crystals. Barring that, the diagnosis can be made on history alone. This can be tricky, as gout may coexist with inflammatory joint conditions such as an infected joint or pseudogout .
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See All 3 AnswersYes, gout attacks are preventable. Typically gout is caused by elevated levels of uric acid, leading to crystal formation in joints, which causes inflammation and pain. Generally avoiding foods high in uric acid can help to prevent gout attacks. Some of these foods include meat, sardines, bacon, mussels, shrimp and yeast. Additionally, avoiding alcohol can decrease gout attacks, as alcohol decreases the excretion of uric acid in the urine. Drinking plenty of water, watching weight and avoiding the before-mentioned foods and alcohol can keep gout at bay. If these methods don't help, there are also medications that can help with gout.
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Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answeredGout, like other forms of arthritis, can continue to get worse without treatment. Talk to your doctor about unexpected pain and swelling in your joints, particularly if the symptoms develop suddenly and without cause. Also, seek medical attention if you develop a fever and/or the joint feels warm to the touch as these can be signs of infection.