What is gout and how do you know if you have it and does it attack any joints or just certain ones?
04/12/10
Question by Ellie: What is gout and how do you know if you have it and does it attack any joints or just certain ones?
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Answer by Pixie
my dad has very bad gout and it affects him mostly in his elbows and knees. From what he has told me, gout is where your joint swells up and there is a lot of pressure and pain.
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Gout is one of the most common forms of arthritis or inflammation of a joint. It most commonly affects the big toe joint (first metatarsophalangeal joint), but can affect any joint. Gout usually starts as an acute attack that often comes on overnight. Within 12-24 hours there is usually severe pain and swelling in the joint.
Gout usually only affects one joint at a time (sometimes two) – most often the feet and ankles. The joint at the base of the big toe is the most common site. If there is no treatment the gout attack usually subsides in a week or so. After the first attack there may be intervals of many months or even years before there are other attacks. Over time these attacks tend to become more frequent and more severe and eventually may involve other and more joints. Eventually, without treatment, a state of chronic or continuous joint symptoms may develop with progressive joint damage.
The cause of gout is related to the physiology of uric acid, which is a chemical that is a natural part of the normal breaking down and building up of food and body tissues. When uric acid levels are higher, this is known as hyperuricaemia. Uric acid is normally dissolved in the blood, but when its high, microscopic crystals may be deposited in the joint. These crystals then set up the acute inflammation causes the gout.
Comment by paramedicguy_au — December 4, 2010 @ 7:30 am
gout is like arthritis it can attack any joint it is caused by uric acid which comes from protein in foods you have to have a blood test to see if you have it you can stop attacks by drinking cranberry juice and eating Cherise and not eating so much protein rich foods they also have medication if it is real bad by the way i have gout mine is in my big toes and my right ankle
Comment by Waylon V — December 4, 2010 @ 7:54 am
Too much uric acid in body. Mostly effects big toes, but can effect any joint. You need a blood test to test for uric acid levels. If you have it, low purine diet needed, drs often prescribe allopurinol for it and pain meds.
Comment by nursegrl — December 4, 2010 @ 7:58 am
The Gout is actually called the Kings Disease, why you ask? Well Kings ate a lot of rich foods and therefore were prone to this disease of Gout and that is how it was named, but actually joints are inflammed with uric acid (urine).
Comment by tetris05 — December 4, 2010 @ 8:37 am