What Is Gout?

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What is Gout?

Gout is a condition often mentioned in literature and historical records.
Described as a painful inflammation of the limbs, especially the big toe,
Gout develops as a result of the buildup of uric acid crystals in the
joints.

Some people are more prone to it based on family history. Chances are that
many of their ancestors suffered from it, as well. But other people get it
due to their own physiology and lifestyle choices. A form of arthritis, a
gout attack can be crippling and keep a person out of commission for one or
more days while nursing their painful joints.

How Is Gout Diagnosed?

Even doctor can find gout difficult to diagnose. This is usually the case
because the symptoms of gout may be indistinct and often mimic other
conditions. Although at some time during the course of gout, most people
with gout will have hyperuricemia, but it may not be present during an acute
gout attack. Besides, having hyperuricemia does not confirm one to have
gout. In actual fact, most people with hyperuricemia do not develop ...
... the
gout.

To confirm a diagnosis of gout, doctors will first have to test the synovial
fluid found in the joint by using a needle to draw a sample of the fluid
from a person's inflamed joint. Under the microscope, the doctor will look
for monosodium urate crystals in the fluid sample by placing it on a slide.
If the person is diagnosed with gout, the doctor will almost always see
crystals in the fluid sample obtained from the inflamed joint. Howere their
absence does not completely rule out the diagnosis of gout. Doctors may also
find it useful to examine joint or tophi deposits to diagnose gout.

Signs and Symptoms of Gout:

The observable signs and symptoms of gout are:

Attack of arthritis in only one joint, usually the toe, ankle, or knee

Arthritis that develops in 1 day

Hyperuricemia

More than one attack of acute arthritis

Painful joint that is swollen, red, and warm

Presence of uric acid crystals in joint fluid

How Is Gout Treated?

Most people diagnosed with gout should be able to control their symptoms and
live a normal live with the help of proper treatment. Gout can be treated
with one or a combination of therapies. These gout treatments aims to
relieve the pain associated with acute gout attacks, prevent future gout
attacks, and avoid the formation of new tophi in the joints or in serious
cases kidney stones in the kidney.

A common treatment for an acute attack of gout usually includes high doses
of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID's) and injections of
corticosteroid drugs into the affected joint. NSAID's helps to diminish the
inflammation caused by deposits of uric acid crystals at the joints. The
NSAID's most commonly prescribed by doctor for gout are indomethacin and
naproxen. These drugs can be taken orally every day. Patients on the
prescription usually will begin to improve within a few hours of the
treatment, and subsequently the gout attacks will go away completely within
a few days.

In certain cases, the doctor may consider using colchicines when NSAID's
fails to control the gout symptoms. Colchicines is most effective when taken
within the first 12 hours of an acute attack of gout. Colchicine can be
administered orally every hour until the gout symptoms subside, or they can
inject by the doctor directly into a vein. The side effect of colchicines is
that it might cause diarrhea when taken orally.

For some patients, the doctor may prescribe either NSAID's or oral
colchicine in small daily doses to prevent future attacks of gout. In some
cases, the doctor may have to prescribe allopurinol (Zyloprim) and
probenecid (Benemid), medicine used to treat hyperuricemia, if gout attacks
continues and tophi develop even after the prescription of NSAID's or
colchicines.

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