Gout is a form of arthritis and causes excruciating pain in those who suffer from it. What is the cause of this disorder? What is gout?
Cause of illness
To date, the cause of this ailment is known to medicine - this is a violation of the metabolism of uric acid. Uric acid crystals are deposited in the synovial fluid of the joints, most often in the joint of the big toe. But such a violation can occur in other joints.
Uric acid is a breakdown product in the blood of substances called “purines”. Needle crystals of uric acid are formed due to insufficient urine excretion from the body.
How does gout manifest?
What is gout is known to many people firsthand. An inflamed joint swells , becomes hot and very painful. Sometimes, similar symptoms occur when crystals of another substance, calcium perophosphate, are deposited between the cartilage of the joints of the crystals. But this is a completely different disease, which is called "pseudogout" and the treatment methods in this case are completely different. Therefore, it is very important to make sure that you have gout. That such a condition causes acute unbearable pain, even with a light touch, indicates how hard it is for those people who suffer from it.
Why is the joint of the big toe most often affected? Due to the low temperature and insufficient blood circulation - the main conditions for the accumulation of uric acid crystals.
Gout - Symptoms and Treatment
Without treatment, an attack of gout usually lasts about a week. The next may happen in a month or even a year. But over time, if treatment is not carried out, the time between attacks is inexorably reduced and irreparable damage can even be caused to the joint, so it will be impossible to restore its function.
Often gout becomes chronic. However, it is very encouraging that gout is considered the most treatable form of arthritis. Non -steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs help well . If a relapse or a severe attack occurs, then alopurinol, which prevents the formation of uric acid, is very effective.
Risk factors - what is gout and is it possible to prevent an attack?
The main risk factors: heredity, gender and age.
In half of the patients, relatives also suffered from gout. Most often, the disease affects men, especially if they have reached the age of 40-50 years. Women get sick two to three times less often than men and very rarely before menopause.
Doctors answer: an attack can be prevented. But for this you need to adhere to the following rules:
- · Eating habits play a big role in preventing gout. The purpose of the diet is not to reduce the intake of foods high in purines, but to restore metabolism. Obesity, dyslepidemia, insulin resistance syndrome - this is a manifestation of metabolic disorders characteristic of gout.
- · However, it will not be superfluous to reduce in your diet foods such as certain varieties of fish, yeast and red meat due to the high content of purines. There are products whose use does not affect the development of gout, although they contain purines - legumes, mushrooms, spinach, lentils, cauliflower and other vegetables.
- · Alcohol interferes with the excretion of uric acid from the body, so its quantity should be reduced.
- · Hypertension, diabetes, elevated blood cholesterol and narrowing of blood vessels can cause an acute attack of gout if untreated.
- · Prolonged bedtime due to injury or illness, as well as impaired renal function, can also cause gout.
- The use of diuretics (drugs in the treatment of hypertension) initiates the development of gout. Chemotherapy drugs also have a similar effect.
So that neither you nor your loved ones will ever feel on themselves what gout is, try to monitor your health, especially if you are at risk.