Main Symptoms Of Gout
by PJ Easton
There are many symptoms of gout that can be a problem. Gout is actually a form of arthritis and will affect your joints. Most symptoms affect the joints and can include swelling, shiny redness and pain. As with arthritis gout is caused by inflammation and treating this inflammation is the main method to relieve any symptoms of gout. Interestingly the ball of the big toe is the most common place for gout to occur. However it also can affect the elbows, hands, knees, ankles and feet.
Gout is a particular problem for men as it will affect men at a much higher rate then women, particularly men over 40. If goat is not treated then it can lead to joint and kidney damage and can cause complications for heart disease and diabetes. Goat occurs because the levels of uric acid in the blood become elevated. Uric acid is removed from the blood by the kidneys and can be a sign of kidney problems.
Symptoms of gout tend to occur very quickly, from between 12 to 24 hours after an increase in uric acid levels. Though gout occurs swiftly it can be very difficult to go away. The most common symptoms include but are not limited to tenderness in the joint, hotness in the joint, red or shiny skin at the joint, severe pain and joint swelling. Some other minor symptoms include slight fever, nausea and loss of appetite.
There are many medications used to treat gout. It is possible to use colchines that block the production of uric acid. You can use steroids to build up your muscle strength in the joint. Drinking a lot of water can dilute the uric acid in the blood. NSAIDs or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications and over the counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen are recommended. Aspirin should be avoided at all cost as it produces more uric acid in the blood.
It should be noted that the best treatment is to prevent gout from occurring in the first place. There are medications available that can reduce the amount of uric acid produced or to increase the amount of uric acid excreted. You can also change your diet to avoid foods that are high in purines. When purines are broken down they form uric acid.
In order to properly diagnosis gout your doctor may need to perform certain tests including a full medical history, joint fluid test and blood test. The one test that can completely confirm gout is the joint fluid test. Though this will require some anesthesia and a long needle.
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