An In Depth View at Gout

Gout is an illness that takes the form of arthritis, caused by needle-like crystals that are produced by uric acid. When high levels of uric acid is formed (caused by purines from food and lack of excretion, which can be due to failing kidneys), they form crystals in your joints that then eat away at them and cause tremendous pain.

What are the Symptoms of Gout?

Gout has the same symptoms as arthritis. The sharp, warm and inflammatory pains usually begin with the big toe and can consume other parts of the body such as the knees, elbows, fingers, ankles and wrists. It can either be a case of primary gout, which is when you have just that illness or secondary gout, where it comes in conjunction with other diseases like lymphoma or psoriasis.

Symptoms are as follows:

• Swelling, reddened joints
• Warm feeling in the joints
• Pain in the joints (usually beginning in the big toe)

What Causes Gout?

Gout is formed by various things such as the following:

• Consuming a lot of alcohol
• Dehydration
• Overeating/obesity
• Eating purine-rich foods
• Kidney Failure
• Medications that impair your kidneys from functioning properly (water pills, daily aspirin, cyclosporine)
• Sudden weight loss or gain
• Surgery
• Infections

When you dehydrate your body, it won't excrete as much as it should, which then allows uric acid levels to increase in your body - from eating purine-rich foods This then causes levels of uric acid to rise faster than your body is excreting it. When you are overweight, your kidneys won't function correctly because of all the weight on them and since your kidneys are what purify your body, you will find that uric acid levels will steadily begin to increase.

Once your kidneys begin to fail, your body won't be able to rid itself of uric acid, so eventually the crystals will form and cause gout to develop. Alcohol is well known for causing kidney failure. It is a substance that dehydrates the body and is purine-rich, double trouble.

Hyperuricemia is when high levels of uric acid is formed from purines, which then results in the chances of getting gout. You can be diagnosed with hyperuricemia without having gout, but you are at high risk of developing it. It is not possible to have gout without hyperuricemia.

Who are at Risk from Gout?

Studies have shown that mostly men are likely to get gout between the ages of 40 and 60. (90% of cases are men). Most of those who are infected with gout are also obese and/or have hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol. The women who are infected by gout are already in menopause . Research also shows that whites are more likely to get it than blacks (while blacks are more likely to get hyperuricemia without gout than whites).

Acute Gout and Chronic Gout

70% of people with gout have acute arthritis . This usually occurs in sudden pain, tenderness and inflammation (heat, redness and swelling). Then after one or two days, the pains are followed by the chills and a low fever. It then usually goes away after seven to 10 days. 62% of those who get acute gout have recurring flare-ups within the same year. 90% show recurring gout within 10 years. Those who never experience gout again make up 10%.

With acute gout, the arch of the foot, and the area between the toes and foot are likely to be hit. These are called the MTP joints (metatarso-phalangeal). It can also occur in the wrists, hands or elbows and rarely shows up in the shoulders and hips.

Chronic Gout usually occurs after multiple gout attacks. This can cause permanent damage to your joint such as tophi. Tophus (the singular of tophi) is a local deposit of uric acid, which can resemble white-colored nodule. When uric acid is in the urine for a long period of time, it can develop into kidney stones.

Diagnosis

If you find that you have any of the symptoms of gout, it is important to go to your doctor immediately. Your physician will then diagnose the problem through several ways:

• Check for high levels of urate (uric acid)
• Blood test
• Urine samples

The doctor may use a needle to insert into the joint to withdraw and examine fluid (usually the last resort).

Once you are diagnosed with gout, you should seek natural treatments to avoid unnecessary side effects and high costs.

Sources: http://www.hss.edu/conditions_14133.asp

http://www.gout.com/what_is_gout/what_is_gout.aspx