Gout

What is gout?

Gout is a form of crystal-induced arthritis that affects the joints. High levels of uric acid in the blood can lead to uric acid building up in the joints, causing inflammation and severe pain.

Gout is the most common form of arthritis. It commonly affects the following joints:

• Forefoot
• Foot
• Ankle
• Heel
• Instep
• Knee

Although less common, gout can also affect joints in the upper extremities such as the fingers or wrists.

Gout can cause sudden, severe attacks of pain, redness, and tenderness in a joint. The affected joint may be so tender that it makes it difficult to turn over in bed or wakes you up in the middle of the night with a burning sensation in your big toe.

What are the symptoms of gout?

The first sign of a gout attack is a sudden, sharp, burning sensation in the affected joint.

This pain can quickly become severe, causing the joint to swell and become red. The initial pain usually goes away completely within a week.

Other symptoms include:

• Pain and difficulty walking during an acute gout attack.
• Uric acid crystals (tophi) of very large size appear in joints or other tissues.
• Chronic, ongoing pain with reduced mobility in the affected joint.
• Sensitive skin is sore, sensitive and painful the area around the joint, which can be extremely painful to the touch.

What causes gout?

Gout occurs when there is too much uric acid in the blood. Uric acid is produced by the body when it breaks down purines, common chemical compounds found in foods and drinks.

Normally, uric acid passes through the kidneys. However, a diet high in purines can cause excess uric acid in the blood, which cannot be excreted in the urine.

Excess uric acid builds up in the joints, forming crystals called tophi. These crystals cause inflammation, swelling, and pain.

What are the risk factors for gout?

Risk factors for gout include:

• Purine-rich diet lots of red meat, organ meats, seafood, beer, and fructose (fruit sugar).
• Obesity , a condition that causes the body to produce more uric acid, also makes it harder for the kidneys to excrete uric acid.
• Pathologies such as congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, diabetes, metabolic disease, and kidney disease.
• Certain medications Medications such as aspirin and thiazide diuretics (often prescribed for high blood pressure), can increase uric acid levels.
• Family history of gout also increases the risk of gout.
• Gender , in which men are more likely to develop gout between the ages of 30 and 50. Postmenopausal women also face a higher risk.

What are the complications and related diseases of gout?

If left untreated, gout can lead to complications such as:

• Joint damage , leading to deformity and limited mobility.
• Accumulation of uric acid crystal deposits subcutaneous.
• Accumulation of uric acid crystals in the urinary tract , leading to kidney stones.
• Gout attacks may recur , with frequency increasing if uric acid levels are not reduced.
• Impaired kidney function or kidney failure.

• High blood pressure.

How to prevent gout?

Gout cannot be completely prevented. However, lifestyle changes can help reduce the severity and frequency of gout attacks.

You can reduce your risk of gout by:

• Limit or avoid alcoholic beverages , especially beer.
• Limit or avoid sugary drinks , especially those containing high-fructose corn syrup.
• Limit meat intake , especially red meat, organ meats and seafood.
• Maintain a healthy body weight . If you need to lose weight, avoid fasting or sudden weight loss, as this can temporarily increase uric acid levels.
• Increase your water intake and consume low-fat dairy products . These foods help prevent gout.