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Gout is an inflammatory form of arthritis that develops in people with high levels of uric acid and affects one or more joints in the body. In fact, severe gout can affect many joints in the body together all at once. This condition is known as polyarticular gout. Gout is usually accompanied by the uric acid symptoms of joint redness, swollen joints, joint pain, and a sensation of warmth in the affected joints.
Normal uric acid levels are 2.4-6.0 mg/dL (female) and 3.4-7.0 mg/dL (male), though the values may vary from laboratory to laboratory. When the blood uric acid level rises above 7mg/dL problems such as kidney stones and gout occur.
Uric acid is produced from the natural breakdown of your body's cells and from the foods you eat. The kidneys help to filter out uric acid from the body which then passes out of the body in urine.
If there is an excessive build-up of uric acid in the body and the kidneys are not able to filter it all out naturally, the level of uric acid in the body rises. High levels of uric acid in the blood can cause uric acid crystals to form in the joints. This causes the painful condition called gout.
Certain people are more prone to gout than others, they include:
The causes of gout or of high uric acid include:
The most common symptoms of gout are:
If you suspect that you suffer from symptoms of gout you can visit your family physician or any general doctor. A general physician usually treats gout, however, if your condition is too severe he may refer you to a rheumatologist.
Gout may be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms can be vague and could be from other conditions. The following tests could be suggested by your doctor to diagnose gout:
Some complications of gout include:
Medical treatment for gout usually involves medicines. Your doctor will prescribe medicines based on your current health condition.
Medications for gout are usually prescribed to treat prevent future acute attacks and reduce the risk of complications.
People often wonder how can they exercise if they suffer from gout since the joints are so painful and sensitive.
However, keep in mind inactivity can make you less flexible, and weaken your joints and muscles. This can result in bone loss and further intensify the symptoms of gout. Exercising will keep you fit and healthy and help you to maintain an ideal body weight. Exercising will increase your energy and make your bones, joints and muscles strong. Else if you suffer from gout the bones and joints deteriorate over time.
Before deciding on an exercise regimen make sure to consult your doctor and find out if the kind of exercises you are interested in are suitable for you.
Some of the exercises that you can opt for are yoga, Tai Chi, low impact aerobic exercises, dancing, cycling, swimming.
Gout rarely occurs in children and in women before menopause.
65% of the gout patients in India are from middle socioeconomic class.
Gout is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis in men (5-27 per 1000 men).
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