A Gout Attack is Painful

Gout is an ancient disease that was named by Hippocrates, "The Disease of Kings" because it is associated with a rich diet. According to the National Institutes of Health, (NIH) gout affects approximately 2.1 million people in the United States.

Gout is a kind of arthritis caused by the build up of uric acid in the joints. It is the most common type of arthritis that affects men over the age of 40 years. Gout affects more men than women. However, women become more at risk to the disease after menopause.

The underlying culprit of this disease is a substance called purine that normally dissolves in the blood and is excreted through the kidneys into the urine. When the purine is not excreted as it should uric acid builds up in the blood. This is called hyperuricemia which leads to the formation of needle like crystals in the synovial fluid that surrounds the joints. Usually the big toe is the joint affected and only one joint is affected during a gout attack.

Symptoms of a Gout Attack

The symptoms of gout comes on suddenly usually at night causing:

Excruciating pain, tenderness, inflammation, swelling, redness, warmth and stiffness in the joint of the big toe. The slightest touch applied to the toe makes the pain worse, even the weight of the bed sheets can increase the severe pain and discomfort. Gout can also affect the ankles, knees, wrists, fingers and elbows.In rare cases it may also affect the hips, shoulders and the spine. The attack usually last for 3-10 days then stops. It may re-occur a few months later, many years later or in some cases it never re-occurs.

Causes of an attack.

Stress is a common cause of an attack.

Injury to a joint may produce an attack.

Excessive alcohol intake can bring on an attack.

Eating certain foods that are high in purines.

Undergoing surgery can sometimes bring on an attack.

Infection is a common cause of an attack of gout.

Risk Factors for Developing Gout

Eating foods rich in purines such as:

Salmon, sardines, organ meats, like kidneys and liver.

Vegetables such as, asparagus and mushrooms.

Excessive alcohol intake.

People with high cholestrol levels.

Obesity, chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension can precipitate an attack.

Sickle cell anemia may also be a culprit of an attack.

According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Muscular-Skeletal and Skin Diseases approximately 18% of people who develop gout have a family history of the condition.

Medications that may cause gout are:

Diuretics, Niacin, some cancer drugs and Cyclosporine, a treatment used to prevent organ transplant rejection.

Diagnosis

The physician will remove fluid from the affected joint for microscopic evaluation of excessive uric acid. The blood may also be examined to determine the level of uric acid it contains.

Treatment

The goals in treating gout are:

To wash the uric acid from the joint.

Reduce the swelling in the joint.

Reduce the amount of uric acid in the body.

Treatment includes:

Rest.

Application of ice pack to the area.

Motrin or Advil to relief the pain.

Drinking lots of water and other fluids.

Eating a healthy balanced diet.

Immediate medical attention is necessary if there is a fever. Fever is a sign of infection.

Seek your physician's advice every time you have a gout attack to get advice in coping with the severe pain.

Prevention

Avoid foods that are high in purines.

Avoid alcohol.

Regular exercise and weight reduction is a good gout prevention technique.

It is said that cherries, vitamin C and coffee helps to reduce uric acid in the body. However there is no controlled clinical studies to prove the point.

There is ongoing research and clinical trials that focus on finding the cause of gout, the search for a cure and to develop better treatment options for this condition.

Famous people who had gout:

Henry V111.

Benjamin Franklyn

Thomas Jefferson

Sources:

Familydoctor.org

Gout.com

Medicinenet.com

About.com