| Gout is an arthritis-based condition in which | | | | will be very hot. Your joints will turn red |
| the body produces high levels of uric acid | | | | and look as though you are bruised. |
| that forms crystals in the blood. These | | | | |
| crystals travel through the body and are | | | | The intercritical stage is when the patient |
| deposited in joints throughout the body, | | | | does not have gout attacks on a regular |
| usually settling in the big toes, causing | | | | basis. The attack can be spread out between |
| severe pain and swelling. An attack of gout | | | | six months to two years of each other. There |
| usually lasts between five and ten days and | | | | are reported cases when an attack has not |
| is excruciating. | | | | re-occurred for ten years. |
| | | | |
| Gout is almost always found in men who are | | | | The chronic stage is perhaps the worse stage |
| over the age of forty, but it can also occur | | | | of all. This is when joints are extremely |
| in women who are in menopause. | | | | painful because of large crystals that are |
| | | | not only deposited in the joints, but also in |
| No one knows for certain what causes gout, | | | | between the bones, in membranes and soft |
| although some studies suggest that there are | | | | tissue. |
| a number of different causes. There may be a | | | | |
| defect in the person's metabolism that causes | | | | It is easy to recognize gout because the skin |
| the body to create and retain too much uric | | | | that is covering the crystal deposits |
| acid. Another cause may be that the kidney is | | | | develops ulcers that leak. A lesser, but |
| damaged to the point of preventing the | | | | equally painful, symptom is stiffness, |
| disposal of uric acid. | | | | leaving the patient unable to move the areas |
| | | | that are affected. |
| If a person is being treated for high blood | | | | |
| pressure, Thiazide diuretic medications may | | | | When diagnosing gout, your doctor will order |
| cause an onset of gout. There are certain | | | | blood tests and x-rays. |
| blood diseases and cancers that may also get | | | | |
| it started. | | | | The blood tests are to determine the level of |
| | | | uric acid that is in your blood and the |
| There are four stages in diagnosing gout. | | | | x-rays are to find where the crystal deposits |
| | | | are and to determine what the extent of the |
| Asymptomatic stage is when the uric acid in | | | | damage is. |
| the blood is extremely high, but there are no | | | | |
| symptoms of gout. No swelling and no pain. | | | | The treatment for Gout is different for each |
| | | | person. Usually it is treated through |
| The acute stage is when it is gout is most | | | | medication and dietary changes. By following |
| painful. The pain starts in the joints as a | | | | your doctor's instructions, you can lessen |
| dull ache and quickly becomes excruciating. | | | | the severity of each attack. |
| Swelling soon follows and the affected area | | | | |