Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments for Gout

My husband is afflicted with a painful condition most commonly referred to as "gout." I didn't know much about gout before I met my husband. I only knew that gout had something to do with pain in the toe or foot, and it was brought on by eating certain foods. I always thought it was unusual that pain would occur in the foot because of eating certain foods, but I now understand more about gout, including the symptoms of gout, and how gout is most often treated and prevented.

What is Gout?

Many people are unaware that gout is a type of arthritis. Uric acid in the body is normal, and it is a requirement of digestion, but when uric acid becomes excessive and isn't eliminated during urination, it crystalizes and settles in the joints. Crystalized sodium urate in the joints can cause pressure, swelling, and extreme bouts of pain. Gout most often appears in the big toe, but it can also settle in the ankles, elbows, hips, knees, and the joints of the hands.

Causes of Gout

Excessive uric acid causes gout, but purine nucleic acid is the product of uric acid and can aggravate the condition. Purine is produced naturally within the body, but purine is also present in some foods and drinks. Avoiding foods and drinks with high levels of purine, and eating moderate amounts of foods containing low amounts of purine can help keep gout under control and avoid painful flair-ups.

Symptoms of Gout

Like most illnesses or afflictions, a painful attack of gout usually strikes at night. Attacks come on very quickly and cause excruciating pain in the joints, and more often than not, in the joint of just one big toe. Joints afflicted by gout may become hot, tender, and swollen. Severe attacks of gout can also include a fever and chills.

If left untreated, symptoms of gout may include stiff aching joints, and small hard lumps of crystalized uric acid in the earlobes, feet, and hands. These crystalized uric acid deposits can also develop in the kidneys and cause potentially harmful and extremely painful kidney stones.

Bad Foods Versus Good Foods

Foods with high levels of purine are cod, scallops, sardines, mussels, herring, anchovies, trout, haddock, kidney, liver, bacon, venison, veal, and turkey. These foods should not be consumed if at all possible. Alcohol also contains high levels of purine, but beer is the worse offender.

Foods with moderate levels of purine are pork, beef, chicken, duck, crab, lobster, shrimp, mushrooms, lentils, spinach, kidney beans, asparagus, and bouillon. It is recommended that no more than four to 6 ounces of these foods are consumed each day. Protein can be obtained by eating eggs, tofu, and lower fat dairy foods.

Drinking water helps flush excess uric acid out of the system. Gout sufferers should try to drink at least eight glasses of water per day. Drinking water can greatly reduce flair-ups and uncomfortable symptoms caused by gout.

Who is Most Likely to Suffer From Gout?

Women and children rarely suffer from gout. Men are usually the unfortunate victims of gout, and many are overweight and also have high blood pressure. Those using diuretic drugs are also sometimes afflicted with gout because of water retention problems.

Treating Gout

There are prescription medications available for those who suffer from gout. Those with gout are usually prescribed a drug called "allopurinol." This prescription medication is to be taken daily. My husband was prescribed 400 milligrams of allopurinol, and he takes it once a day. Allopurinol causes drowsiness, so those operating machinery or driving should be extremely cautious.

My husband also takes a prescription drug called "indomethicin." The 50-milligram dose of indomethicin is to be taken every eight hours when he experiences a painful flair-up. Indomethicin should be taken with food and plenty of water. The warning label also states that indomethicin should not be taken with aspirin or products that contain aspirin.

The medication prescribed by my husband's doctor does a very good job of keeping his gout under control, but there are several other medications on the market. Your doctor or healthcare provider can determine which medication is right for your individual needs.