Posted by The human body is made of 206 bones, all these bones combine to form our skeleton. The Skeleton has joints that support several kinds of movement in our body. If there is any discomfort or pain in these joints, the movement can become very painful. When a patient is suffering from Gout, their joints become really painful. Gout is also known as inflammatory arthritis and hyperuricemia.
There are two Phases of the Disease that Gout Patients go Through:
- When the symptoms are severe
- The phase of remission
During the symptomatic period, the patient has to suffer from excruciating pain. However, during the remission period, there are no symptoms. The patient feels like a healthy human being.
If gout patients don’t receive timely treatment and care their condition may turn into gouty arthritis (one of the worst forms of arthritis).
In this article, we will take a look at different symptoms and causes of Gout. Moreover, we will also see how it is diagnosed and treated:
Causes
Gout is also known as hyperuricemia. This name of the condition describes the high presence of uric acid in the body. The production of uric acid in our body is a normal process. When we eat food, our body produces uric acid by breaking down the purines present in the food. However, when this production of uric acid exceeds its normal range, it causes Gout.
Some factors that make you at risk of getting gout are:
- Gout usually strikes men who are obese.
- Having issues with hypertension also adds to the chances of suffering from Gout.
- Being diabetic is also one of the major risk factors.
- Having a metabolic syndrome or kidney issues might also increase the amount of uric acid in the body.
- Being Alcoholic or eating unhealthy food might also causes a sudden rise in uric acid levels of the body.
Symptoms
There are some red flags or symptoms that you must keep an eye on if you are at risk of getting gout.
- Acute pain in different joints of the body, especially the big toe.
- The feeling of balways in pain.
- There is a lot of inflammation all over your body
- Your movement of the body is getting disturbed due to excruciating pain in your joint.
- Your skin gets itchy every now and then.
You should visit a Rheumatologist in Lahore at your earliest if you see any of these symptoms.
How is Gout Diagnosed?
There are several ways that a rheumatologist might use to determine if you are suffering from gout or not.
Some of which are:
-
Blood Tests:
Your doctor will recommend several blood tests to determine the level of uric acid and other fluids in your body.
-
Joint Fluid Test:
Joint fluid is done by withdrawing liquid from the affected joint and testing that fluid for any abnormalities. This test can be painful for patients.
-
Ultrasound:
Usage of the ultrasound technique also helps in determining the problems that are causing joint pain and inflammation.
How is gout treated?
Despite all the advancements in medical science, there still isn’t any cure for Gout. However, a few medicines can help ease the symptoms by undermining the pain.
Different medicines that are used to ease the symptoms of gout are:
- NSAIDS
- Corticosteroids
The basic aim of these medicines is to relieve the pain and minimize inflammation.
Other than pain relief medication, what helps in treating Gout is healthy diet and lifestyle changes.
Concluding it to the point that if you ever feel pain around your joints or doubt that your uric acid levels are rising, you should consult a Rheumatologist in Islamabad as soon as possible and get yourself checked.