gout
Causes of Gout:
Symptoms of gout:
- Apart from inflammation, swelling and pain, acute gout attacks very fast with intense joint pain within 8 to 12 hours.
- Gout first occurs in legs or feet and often affects a single joint mainly the joint of big toe.
- You may find redness in the skin over a joint.
- Might experience mild fever and chills
- You may have pain in your back and side
- Gout may also cause kidney stones.
- Lumps of urate crystal deposits formed under the skin.
How is gout diagnosed?
Your doctor will ask to do few tests like
Joint fluid tests: a fluid sample is taken from the affected joint and examined under a microscope to find the urate crystals. Some infections may have similar symptoms like gout, in such cases, the doctor may check for bacteria in joint fluid.
Blood test: blood test is done to find out the level of uric acid in the blood. Sometimes these tests are confusing because some patients may have high uric acid level and they never experienced gout. And for some patients they have symptoms of gout but they do not have high level of uric acid.
X-ray imaging: x rays help in finding out if there is any other inflammation in the joints.
Ultrasound and CT scan: this technique is used to detect urate crystal in the joint or in a tophus.
Treatment for gout:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication is given.
- To relieve from pain and inflammation oral medication- Colchicines is given.
- Hydration
- Need to do lifestyle modifications by avoiding alcohol, reducing protein intake, reduce weight if you are obese.
- Long term medications are given to maintain uric acid level in blood. You may sometimes need to continue medicines even if your gout is better because there can be low lying inflammation between attacks. The crystal deposits can become big in size and eventually become hard and it may damage the joint. So the medicines will help you to maintain the uric acid levels.
Prevention of gout:
Conclusion:
Gout is a serious and painful problem which cannot be cured completely. It is a long term disease that can only be controlled with the combination of medicines to control the uric acid level and anti inflammation drugs to control the flare- up. By lowering the levels of uric acid in the blood most people do not develop the fourth and most disabling stage of the disease.