Why gout can ruin your life and how to avoid it

What is gout

The ancient Greeks gave the name of the disease, were metaphorical and at the same time categorically clear. GoutGout. Symptoms and Causes literally - "a trap for the feet." Presented? Yes, this is it: a sharp severe pain, piercing joint of the thumb, redness, swelling, "burning" skin.

"Trap" can release the foot in an hour or two, but can last a few hours or even days.

Most often suffers from gout joint of the big toe - one or both at once. But stupnoy disease is not limited. This form of arthritis can affect any joint completely in your body: knees, ankles, elbows, wrists, fingers ...

At first the attacks are quite fast and sometimes can not be repeated for weeks or months. However, joint inflammation progresses. Each subsequent attack of gout becomes longer and stronger, affecting more and more parts of the body. So there is a chronic gouty arthritis, which may one day lead to the restriction of movement and destruction of the joints.

Why is this happening

Gout cause accumulated in the joints of uric acid crystals

Gout Pictures Slideshow: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments of Gout. This acid, in turn, is a product of the disintegration of purines - substances which are included in certain foods and beverages. For example, meat, seafood or beer.

Normally, the body excretes uric acid by dissolving it into the blood, and then banishing blood through the kidneys, where it is eliminated with the urine.

But sometimes in the running machine failures occur.

Maybe, the blood flows too much uric acid. Or maybe, the kidney affected by the disease and can not cope with filtration. In this case, the acid can accumulate in the body, forming a sharp needle-like crystals in the joints or surrounding tissues. They cause pain, swelling and chronic inflammation.

Leading to gout

Doctors lists the most common risk factorsGoutAble to start the development of the disease.

1. unhealthy diet

If you like barbecue, and under anything intoxicating, goutGout diet: What's allowed, what's not already looks askance at your side. Meat, particularly red, contains large amounts of purines, and therefore increases the concentration of uric acid in the blood. A drink hampers the kidneys and does not give them normally lead acid from the body.

Especially dangerous is beer: it contains large amounts of purineBeer drinking and its effect on uric acid - organic substances that are in our body are converted into uric acid. In other products, this instigators forms of arthritis are:

• Offal - hearts, stomachs and other offal.
• Smoked.
• Some varieties of fish.
• Peas, lentils.
• Sweet drinks.

2. Age and Gender

Previously, gout was considered a "male" disease, because men have greater access to the dangerous food - the same meat with beer. In addition, the male body produces more uric acid.

As a rule, these two factors are shotGout. Symptoms and Causes 30-50 years - at this age, most patients first recorded attack of gout.

Since then, the same as the women had equal access to food, gouty arthritis and touched them. However, gout comes to the weaker sex a little later - after the menopause, when the levels of uric acid in a woman's body begins to approach the male.

3. Excess weight

The more extra kilos, the higher the risks. In this case, the body produces more uric acid and kidney have to filter the larger volume of blood and can not cope with the task.

4. Recent trauma, surgery, physical overload

In such states, the body increases the production of uric acid.

5. some diseases

Hypertension, Diabetes, kidney disease and heart - all of which can also increase the levels of uric acid in the blood.

6. Taking certain medications

These include certain diuretics (in particular, those that are appointed in the treatment of hypertension), as well as drugs that contain salicylate.

7. Heredity

If someone has gout, your risks go up of your close relatives.

How to treat gout

First you need to accurate diagnosis. Gout confuse with other diseases is difficult: too typical of the "trap". Still, the final point on the question, "Doctor, what happened to me?" Has to put a qualified physician - therapist, a surgeon or a rheumatologist.

You may need to conduct additional studies:

• Blood tests to determine the level of uric acid and creatinine - a protein that is a marker of renal function.
• Make joint X-rays - to rule out other causes of inflammation, such as trauma.
• To conduct ultrasound to detect uric acid crystals in the joint.
• Make the analysis of the synovial fluid to determine all of the same crystals of uric acid.

Necessary tests again prescribed by a doctor. If gout is confirmed, the physician will prescribe medications. They are divided into two categories:

• Drugs that relieve pain and prevent future attacks. These include both over the counter pain relievers (such as ibuprofen), as well as more serious prescription options. A corticosteroids - in the form of tablets or injection.
• Drugs that prevent complications from gout. Some of them block the production of uric acid in the body, while others improve kidney function.

Drugs - the most effective way to cure acute gout and prevent it to become chronic. But to make the medication more effective, it is necessary to supplement and lifestyle changes. Incidentally, they are also the prevention of this type of arthritis.

What to do to avoid gout

1. Eat a healthy diet

Limit the consumption of foods high in purines such as meat (especially red), by-products, semi-finished products (sausages), smoked meat. Do not abuse alcohol and sweetened soda.

2. Drink more water

Liquid It helps the body to withdraw the excess uric acid.

3. Move more and exercise regularly

It is important to maintain a healthy weight. Just do not overdo it. Physical overload or too stiff may harm the diet, as well as cause the body to produce more uric acid.

4. Eat dairy products with low fat

According toGout. Symptoms and Causes Mayo Clinic experts, such kislomolochka reduces the risk of gout. So, can serve as an alternative to meat in terms of protein production.