Arthritis is already a terrible disorder featuring intolerable pain for all those who have experienced it. However, the height of worseness is not this. It is actually encompassed by the gout arthritis that refers to a much complex type of this disorder. Although males are much prone to this arthritis type, post menopausal women also suffer from it. Gout arthritis (often referred as Gouty Arthritis) assaults the joints, particularly at the big toe’s base. After it strikes the joints, it has the power to impede the functioning of the joints, tissues, and ligaments resulting in the weak skeletal structure with the passage of time. So, it is vital to know its symptoms and causes so that the condition can be diagnosed, of course, by a trained expert who does so via a physical exam as well as by examining a sample of fluid from the joint. If the need be, a blood test might be performed.
Gouty Arthritis is a recurrent form of Arthritis affecting the peripheral joints, typically involving the first joint of the big toe. Gouty Arthritis is caused by increased concentration of uric acid in biological fluids. The sharp uric acid crystals are deposited in or around joints and extremities, bone, cartilage and other tissue. During history, Gout has been considered ‘the rich people disease’, because many of the gout attacks followed evenings of excessive wining and dining. Certain nucleic acids (purines) in many foods increase the uric acid content in the blood, meats and alcohol being the worst offenders.
Other general treatment suggestions are: drinking lots of water, taking supplements like omega-3′s and vitamin E, using herbal remedies like Devil’s Claw, eating cherries and blueberries, and taking prescription medication. Consult your doctor for the right treatment for you. In conclusion, consequent Gouty Arthritis is definitely a danger signal telling us that something is wrong with our lifestyle. It is important to understand that Gouty Arthritis has taken many years to develop within our body and will certainly take some time to correct. There is no quick or easy way to remove the symptoms. The true treatment and cure is possible if we understand this danger message and if we are willing to make changes in our manner of living, re-establishing the balance and preventing other diseases associated with it.
Causes
As a first step towards the treatment, we need to first find the answer to ‘what are the causes of gout?’ Have you heard regarding purines? These are the substances that are associated with the growth and progression of gout arthritis. They are naturally seen in the body and also exist in some food items like asparagus and meat.
When these substances get break down in the body, they get converted into uric acid. If a person is healthy, this acid is discarded via the kidneys and urine. But, in unhealthy patients, kidneys cannot excrete the required quantity of acid or more amount of the acid is produced. In this condition, the uric acid accumulates as urate crystals in a joint or flanking tissue, which are quite sharp. This gathering of crystals is nothing but gout that invites inflammation and extreme joint pain.
Symptoms
Knowing about these is the second step for fighting against the gout arthritis. In this disease, the signs mostly trigger during nights and that too suddenly. Despite the fact that gout primarily influences the big toe joint, it can also hit ankles, feet, hands, and knees. As the pain that one witnesses is very acute, the patient might remain awake even throughout the night. He or she feels as if the toe is burning in the fire. In addition, the pain gets worse in some 12 to 24 hours once it has started. Once the pain subsides, the patient still witnesses lasting discomfort that tends to change. Such a sign of gout arthritis might remain until some days or weeks. Some more symptoms that can be experienced are swollen joints, redness, and tenderness upon touching.
Treatment
Medications are quite effective in dealing with the gout arthritis, which aim at controlling gout attacks as well as avoiding further flare-ups. Further, they also take care that no risk of any other complication exists. Among all the medications, the most common ones are Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs), colchicines, and corticosteroids. There are some more medicines that prevent the production of the acid and induce improvements in the level of the uric acid.
Irrespective of what medicines you are taking, it is very necessary to drink a minimum of 4 liters of liquid as well as 8 to 9 water glasses everyday. This is actually a prerequisite for a successful treatment against gout arthritis. In addition, alcohol and cigarettes should be banned in your life forever. Then, the intake of proteins must not be too much. Lastly, as stated above that purines exist even in some food stuffs, you need to avoid the intake of such food items (meat and poultry). So, a healthy lifestyle is a must to fight against this complex disease.
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