What is Gouty Arthritis?

Gouty arthritis is a problem of joint and bones that usually a severe painful attack when moving. The common site of the attack is toe but other joints can be affected are ankles, wrists, fingers, elbow and knee. Acute gout attack usually in one joint at a time and pain take time in hour to day. The patients can develop fever together with gout.

Who is affected by gout?

Prevalence estimates in the age over 35 years old. Usually attacks in male and menopause in women. The risk factors for developing gout are overweight, heavy alcohol intake, some medicines that can increase blood uric acid such as low dose of aspirin, cyclosporine, and ethambutol. Other factor is renal insufficiency that cause inhibition of tubular urate secretion and increase uric acid in blood.

The cause of gout

Gout cause by an overproduction of uric acid: defined as > 800 mg uric acid/day on normal diet and under excretion of uric acid. The excess uric crystal precipitate under the skin, which is known as tophi, (or in the urinary tract as kidney stones) and it cause joint inflammation.

The signs and symptoms of gout

The common symptoms of gout are inflammation, reddish discoloration, warmth, tenderness, and swelling in the joint of the first toe. When touching or walking it is extremely painful. Gout attacks are characterized by a rapid onset time in only 1-2 joints.

Diagnosis

The way to diagnose gout is examine for the uric acid crystal of joint fluid and view the result with polarization microscope. Other common way is x-ray. This is helpful to show tophi and bone damaged. The result can analyze how long the patients have gout.

How is gout treatment?

Acute attacks of gout: The goal is to relieve pain and inflammation by the colchicine and pain killer medicines.

Long term control: Prevent recurrence, progression to chronic gouty arthritis and organ damage by blocking production and promote the excretion of uric acid by the medicines which is know as allopurinal and probenecid.

Prevention

Avoid the risk factors of gout especially some foods and drinks such as beer and wine, red meat, shellfish, oysters, sea eggs, mussel, fried food and poultry. The important way to avoid gout is control the body weight and exercise everyday. Be careful the position during lift the heavy weight by using the right position and change the body movement after long standing or sitting.

Conclusion

The common pain of joints in adult is gouty arthritis. If you have extremely pain when moving and other signs and symptoms of gout, you should go to see the physician and start the medication. However, the best way is prevention by avoid gout risk factors and takes care your health.