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Gout attacks and their treatment procedures

Gout attacks and their treatment procedures

Gout is inflammatory arthritis which is developed due to high levels of uric acid in the blood. The acid has the capability to form into needle-like crystals in a joint. These crystals cause severe pain, tenderness, swelling, and redness. It most affects the large joint of the big toe. It also affects feet, ankles, wrists, hands, knees, etc. The attacks of gout occur suddenly and mostly at nights. Gout is more common among men than women. Over 4% of the US population suffers from gout arthritis. It occurs due to various factors like genes, medications, age and gender, diet, alcohol, and sodas. The treatment procedures you need to know about: The main aim of gout treatment is to reduce the sharp pain and limit its chances of recurrence. This also aims to reduce complications like joint destruction and kidney failure. This requires medical support to treat along with some home precautions to follow. Some of the more popular gout treatment procedures are listed below! Getting adequate rest When a gout attack occurs, rest the affected joint. This helps in the pain reduction to a certain extent. Proper rest, along with the prescribed medicines, give you relief from the pain, which is the worst part of gout.
6 health-related conditions that trigger gout

6 health-related conditions that trigger gout

Any form of ailment can render us incapacitated for some time. However, it poses a problem when the condition is a chronic and painful. One such condition that has been increasingly affecting Americans is gout. A gout is a complex form of arthritis that can affect anyone irrespective of their age. Since it is a form of arthritis, needless to say, it primarily affects the joints. Gout is characterized by sudden, severe attacks of swelling, pain, tenderness, in the joint, and it usually affects the joint at the base of the big toe. Gout, like every other form of arthritis, affects the individual’s mobility and causes excruciating pain whenever a gout attack begins, and this happens suddenly. Even after the pain subsides, the discomfort lingers. Gout is caused by the accumulation of uric acid crystals in the joints, and this is what triggers inflammation and pain. However, there are other factors that make an individual more vulnerable to gout, and they are as follows. Genetics In a majority of cases, our genes are the ones that give an impetus to ailments. If you have a family history of gout, there are high chances that you too will develop this painful condition.
5 lifestyle factors that elevate the risk of gout

5 lifestyle factors that elevate the risk of gout

Gout is a condition that has affected around 8.3 million Americans and continues to do so till date. It is a form of arthritis, and like every other form of arthritis affects the joints, causing excruciating pain in the process. Gout affects the joints especially in the big toe and causes pain, swelling, and stiffness. An individual with gout can experience sudden gout attacks at any time of the day, and the pain can take days to subside. One can say that with every gout attack you have, the tissues in the region deteriorate owing to the inflammation it is exposed to. Gout is caused due to an increase in the level of uric acid in the body. The uric acid crystals deposit in the joints, and the process of inflammation sets in causing redness, pain, and stiffness of the joints in the process. One’s age, gender, family history, the medications they consume, and other health problems can also trigger gout. However, apart from these, there are other factors that can trigger gout, and these are mostly self-inflicted. Crash diets and fasting One of the prominent causes of gout is going on crash diets or fasting for long periods. When you go on crash diets to lose weight, you begin to metabolize the body tissues, and this results in an increase in the level of purines, which, in turn, increases the level of uric acid in the body.