Gout is a type of very painful arthritis that comes on suddenly and affects the joints. Toe joints are the most common area of the body that are affected by gout, though you can get it in any of your joints. Gout is very painful and the affected area is going to look red and feel tender. You might wake up feeling like your joint is on fire. When it comes to gout symptoms and treatment, it is important to get medical help as soon as possible.
The Symptoms Of Gout
Gout usually comes out of the blue and you are not going to have any warning that it is coming. You will suddenly feel excruciating joint pain and it will be difficult to use the affected joint. Since you are likely to experience gout in your foot, you will find that it is hard to walk or put any weight on the foot.
The worst pain will usually go away in about 12 hours, but you will still have lingering pain for a few weeks. Each attack will become progressively worse and they tend to last longer and affect more joints. It will be very difficult to move the affected joint and it is going to look red and swollen.
Causes Of Gout
Gout attacks happen when urate crystals build up in your joint. If you have too much uric acid in your blood, you are likely to get gout. The uric acid crystals are sharp and they irritate and inflame your joints.
Meat, seafood, alcohol and sugary drinks cause your body to produce more uric acid which can lead to gout. If you are prone to gout, you want to avoid consuming these foods. Being overweight can also contribute to gout. You are more likely to end up with gout if you have a family history of it or if you are male.
Treatment For Gout
The usual treatment for gout is medication. The medication is used to treat current attacks and prevent them from happening again. Your doctor will work on a treatment plan with you that could include taking things like steroids, anti-inflammatory drugs, drugs that reduce uric acid production and medication that helps your body remove the uric acid.
The downside of these medications is that most of them have side effects and you might have to try more than one medication. Be sure to let your doctor know if you start to experience any side effects from the medication so you can try something else. You will also want to avoid foods that have a high purine content. if you are overweight, you might want to consider losing weight.
With gout symptoms and treatment, it is important to take your medication and stay away from anything that might cause a gout attack. Gout is painful and you are going to want to do whatever it takes to avoid attacks in the future.