Gout is a disorder occurring especially in men due to raised levels of uric acid in blood. Gout occurs when urate crystals are deposited in your joint and cause the inflammation in the joints followed by an intense pain. Normally uric acid dissolves in your blood and expelled outside through urine. When the amount exceeds the level, uric acid builds up in the form of art crystals in a joint. It causes pain, inflammation and immense swelling.
Uric acid is primarily responsible for gout. There are several factors that increase the high levels of uric acid in the blood. Changes in the lifestyle, certain medication and excessive consumption of alcohol cause gout. Following are the primary causes of Gout.
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Certain cancer medication
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Too much alcohol and beer
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Use of diuretics medication
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Women going through menopause
Signs and Symptoms of Gout:
The symptoms of gout are mostly visible in joints. These symptoms occur in the form of severe pain and swelling around the joint areas. The areas around the joint become red and shiny due to gout and may peel later on. You might have mild fever in some cases as well. Some patients also complain about white lumps beneath their skin. These lumps are made up of uric acid crystals. Following are the primary symptoms of gout.
There are several complications reported because of gout. Progressive joint damage is the major one. This further leads to long-term pain, deformed joints and disability. Gout also causes kidney stones. Hands, wrists, knees, ankles and elbows can also be affected by gout.
Diagnosis And Treatment Of Gout:
To examine and diagnose gout, doctors perform a number of tests. These tests include synovial fluid analysis, Uric acid test, Joint x-rays and synovial biopsy. All these tests are done to establish the presence of uric acid in the blood. Medication and self-help are two primary methods to treat gout. Before starting any medication, it’s important to consult your doctor. Never ever take aspirin if you are diagnosed with gout. Some of the highly recommended and popular medicines for gout treatment are Colchicine, Uloric and Zyloprim.
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