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One of the most
painful
disorders which
can affect your
joints is gout
arthritis. Gout
arthritis has
been around for
eons and has
been studied
extensively by
physicians. We
now know that
gout arthritis
is brought on by
an excessive
amount of uric
acid in the
body. When your
body has an
excess of uric
acid, many
things can
happen. Kidney
stones can
develop, tophi
(hard nodules)
may gather under
the skin, and
crystal deposits
may also form
around the
joints. Gout
arthritis can
affect anyone.
Research tells
us that men are
more at risk,
yet women are
more susceptible
to gout
arthritis after
they go through
menopause. Gout
arthritis can be
contributed to
genetics, foods,
alcohol,
medication and
low water
consumption.
If you have gout
arthritis, you
will know
something is
wrong. In most
cases, patients
report being
awakened by an
attack. The
joint site will
eventually
swell, become
tender and very
painful. Common
sites for
arthritis gout
include the big
toe, feet and
ankles.
If you think you
are experiencing
gout arthritis,
you should go to
your doctor. A
simple blood
test will reveal
if you have gout
arthritis, or
not. Other tests
your doctor may
perform can
include a urine
test, and a
joint fluid
test. All of
these tests will
revel if you
have a high
level of uric
acid in your
system.
Gout arthritis
is one form of
arthritis which
is treatable.
There are
medications
which can
relieve the pain
and swelling, as
well as
medications
which can block
uric acid
production.
There is no
reason why
anyone has to
suffer with the
pain of gout
arthritis in our
modern age.
There are a few
things you can
do to prevent
gout arthritis.
First, you
should avoid
drinking alcohol
in excess. High
levels of
alcohol in the
blood can lead
to high uric
acid levels.
Secondly, you
should try to
lose weight if
you are heavy or
obese. Obesity
is hard on the
body filtering
system. Do not
consume too many
high-purine
foods. Some of
these foods
include
sardines,
kidneys,
shellfish,
herring and
mushrooms.
Third, drink
plenty of water.
This saturates
your body with
the necessary
fluid it needs
to flush out
excessive
amounts of uric
acid. |
