What Is Gout? Causes, Symptoms, And How It's Diagnosed

Content

• Medical Management Current Best Evidence:
• What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Gout?
• A Closer Look At Gout
• Gout Diagnosis And Management: Updated Treatment Guidelines

High concentrations of uric acid levels in the blood — the medical term is hyperuricemia — are necessary for the crystals to form. Yet many people with hyperuricemia never develop gout, and even when they do, they often have had high levels of uric acid in their blood for years without any symptoms. People with hyperuricemia with no symptoms might be coached to make lifestyle changes — losing weight would often top the list — but hyperuricemia by itself is usually not treated. Gout is an extremely painful form of arthritis that affects more than three million Americans each year.

Generally, doctors want the blood uric acid level to be below 6.0 mg/dL. This level of uric acid is referred to as the "target level" or "goal" of therapy. To help prevent an attack from coming back, colchicine can be given once or twice a day. While the chronic use of colchicine can reduce the attacks of gout, it does not prevent the accumulation of uric acid that can lead to joint damage even without attacks of hot, swollen joints. Avoid alcohol or only drink in extreme moderation if you have had gout attacks in the past. Alcohol affects the body's metabolism of uric acid and can cause it to build up .

Medical Management Current Best Evidence:

This will help your body get rid of excess uric acid and will keep the uric acid level from rising again. They last only a week or so and then everything seems to go back to normal with no symptoms between episodes. If the disease is not controlled by medication, attacks may occur more often and may last longer.

Although many people have their first gout attack in one of their big toes, gout attacks can also happen in other joints. High blood pressure is another major risk factor for gout. It gets complicated, though, because the diuretics taken to lower high blood pressure increase uric acid levels, so the treatment as well as the disease is associated with gout.

What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Gout?

Therefore, patients should not only monitor the type of food they eat, but also use portion control and exercise to maintain a healthy weight. Quick changes in uric acid levels in the blood can lead to a gout attack. Even if a person’s uric acid level is normal, an attack can occur with an abrupt change. If gout symptoms have occurred off and on without treatment for more than 10 years, uric acid crystals may have built up in the joints to form gritty, chalky nodules called tophi. If tophi are causing infection, pain, pressure, and deformed joints, your doctor may be able to treat them with medicine.

How can I check my uric acid levels at home?

A uric acid test measures the amount of uric acid in the body. Uric acid is a chemical that's produced when your body breaks down purines.
How is a uric acid urine test performed? 1. On day 1, urinate into the toilet after waking up.
2. After that, take note of the time and collect all urine for the remaining 24 hours.

Uric acid is one of the byproducts and, normally, any excess leaves in the urine. But in some people, the system for keeping levels in check falls out of kilter. Usually it's because the kidneys aren't keeping up and excreting enough uric acid, but sometimes it's a matter of too much uric acid being produced or it's a combination of both. The encouraging news is that almost all gout cases are treatable. In fact, gout is one of the few treatable and preventable forms of arthritis, an umbrella term for dozens of conditions that cause inflammation in the joints. The challenge is making sure people get the gout care they need and follow through on taking medications.

What Is The Latest Research On Gout?

If left untreated, later flare-ups can last up to 3 weeks. Uric acid is a by-product of the breakdown of the nucleic acids (ribonucleic acid and deoxyribonucleic acid ) in cells. It is present in small amounts in the blood, because the body continually breaks down cells and forms new cells.

The pain becomes progressively worse and is often excruciating, particularly when the joint is moved or touched. Usually, uric acid levels are elevated for years before the onset of gout. In men, uric acid levels rise at puberty, and the peak age of onset of gout in men is in the fourth to sixth decade of life. However, onset may occur in men in their early 20s who have a genetic predisposition and lifestyle risk factors. In women, uric acid levels rise at menopause, and peak age of onset is in the sixth to eighth decade of life. Although gout is associated with hyperuricemia, gout attacks are triggered not by a particular level of uric acid but typically by acute changes in the level of uric acid.

A Closer Look At Gout

Attacks of gout may occur sporadically and last for several days. During these attacks, uric acid deposits may build up in cartilage, tendons, and soft tissues. They may also form lumps called tophi under the skin. Crystals that accumulate in the kidneys can lead to kidney stones and kidney damage. Most gout episodes are acute and last a few days, but the severity and frequency of attacks can increase, with some people developing a chronic form of gout. Patients with gout attacks suffer a rapid onset of pain in the affected joint followed by swelling, redness, and severe tenderness.

Uric acid, the most insoluble of the purine substances, is a trioxypurine containing three oxygen groups. Both undissociated uric acid and monosodium salt, which is the primary form found in the blood, are only sparingly soluble. Also known as gouty arthritis, gout is caused by a buildup of uric acid in the bloodstream triggering joint pain and inflammation. When too much uric acid accumulates in the body, it collects into needle-shaped crystal deposits that settle into the joints , causing bursts of pain, redness, and swelling. Attacks tend to occur at night and subside after three to 10 days, even without medication. Flare-ups can also reoccur a few months or years later, and, left untreated, gout can cause permanent damage to the joints and the kidneys, which remove uric acid from the body.

Primary Care Physician

protects young women from gout; uric acid levels rise at menopause and gout is often diagnosed in their 6th to 8th decade of life. Acute gout is a painful condition that often affects only one joint. Chronic gout is the repeated episodes of pain and inflammation.