Gout is a common medical condition that causes painful inflammation in the joints. Gout is so common that several million people suffer from the condition every year in the United States. The condition is often described as a severe form of arthritis. Unlike arthritis, gout does not primarily affect older individuals. It primarily occurs in middle aged men and women, but kids and young adults can also develop the painful inflammation in their joints. Another way gout differs from traditional arthritis is the fact that its painful symptoms come and go in waves. Gout sufferers can go from feeling perfectly fine to being in excruciating pain in a matter of minutes. Learning more about this unique condition is the best way to fight back and start the healing process.
The body naturally produces a compound called uric acid to help break down organic chemicals that are found in meat, fish, alcohol and fructose. Uric acid is supposed to naturally dissolve in the blood and exit the body after it has done its job. Unfortunately, some people have abnormally high uric acid levels in their body. If there is too much uric acid in the body, then all of it cannot dissolve in the blood to leave the body. The excess uric acid hardens over time and forms into urate crystals. These hardened crystals grow in the joints, which causes all of the problematic symptoms associated with gout. Some people are just naturally born with high uric acid levels due to their genetics, but a bad diet, obesity and poor overall health can all increase the risk of developing gout.
Since the symptoms of gout are usually very intense, they are fairly easy to spot. The most common symptom of this condition is excruciating pain in one of the joints. This pain is usually found in the big toe, but it can happen just about anywhere in the body. The intense pain generally will usually start at night and last for several hours. Once the excruciating joint pain goes away, there will still be mild tenderness in the joints. This tenderness will linger for several days. In addition to the joint pain, gout sufferers will also experience redness and swelling on the affected joints. The biggest problem with gout is the fact that the condition progressively gets worse over time. The insufferable symptoms caused by this condition will last longer after every gout attack. This can potentially lead to an inability to move during a gout attack.
The only way to live a pain-free life after developing gout is by seeking the proper treatment. There are some pain relievers which are used to assist with the pain of a gout attack. These pain relievers will need to be taken at the start of a gout attack in order to be extremely effective. There are also several medications that can be used to help stop a gout attack from occurring. These medications reduce the uric acid production in the body. They also help aid in the body's uric acid removal process. In addition to prescription medication, gout can also be treated by making a few lifestyle changes. It is vitally important to maintain a healthy weight, eat a balanced diet and limit the intake of alcohol when dealing with gout.
