What is gout?Gout is an extremely painful type of arthritis in which crystalline deposits of uric acid form within the joints. Although it typically strikes the base of the big toe, it can occur in any joint. An estimated 840 out of 100,000 people, usually between the ages of 30 and 50, get gout. It is 20 times more common among men than women. Women rarely get gout before the onset of menopause. Some families are genetically predisposed, and African-Americans as well as individuals with poor kidney function are more likely to suffer gout attacks.
How does gout develop?Gout is caused by elevated blood levels of uric acid, a waste product of the breakdown of cells and proteins. This excess can be due to an increase in uric acid production as well as the inability of the kidneys to adequately clear uric acid from the body. Certain foods, such as shellfish, and excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages may increase uric acid levels and precipitate gout attacks. Obesity, hypertension, diabetes and medications can also increase uric acid levels. With time, the elevated levels of uric acid in the blood may form needle-like crystals in the joints, leading to acute and very painful gout attacks. Uric acid may also collect under the skin, which is known as tophi, or in the urinary tract as kidney stones.
What are the symptoms of gout? The most common symptoms of gout are inflammation, swelling, tenderness and warmth and redness in the affected joint, usually the big toe. Touching or moving the affected joint is intensely painful, and patients often say it hurts to have as little as a bed sheet over the affected joint. The pain may be accompanied by a mild fever. Gout develops quickly, and although it typically occurs in only one joint at a time, on rare occasions symptoms may develop in two or three joints simultaneously. In most cases, however, if these symptoms occur in joints throughout the body, the condition is probably not gout.
Conventional medical treatments may help relieve the symptoms of gout, but they do not address the root of the problem. Strengthening structural weaknesses and addressing imbalances in the body may alleviate pain associated with gout alleviated permanently.
Discover why we believe that natural medicine treatments are the best way to treat gout.
The treatment regimens suggested here are based on the experience of Caring Medical. They do not apply to every case or condition. A person using these recommendations without the aid of a personal physician does so at their own risk.
This information is provided for informational purposes only. It is essential to have your condition evaluated by your own personal physician.
For an appointment with Ross Hauser, M.D., please call 708-848-7789. or email us at scheduling@caringmedical.com.
