Feb 28, 2020
If you have sudden, severe attacks of pain, swelling, redness and tenderness in the joints, often the joint at the base of the big toe—then you may have gout. Joining us for this week's House Call is Dr. Jennifer Reams, Rheumatologist at UHC Rheumatology.
1). Doctor, exactly what is gout?
Gout is a common form of inflammatory arthritis that is very painful. It usually affects one joint at a time (often the joint of the big toe). There are times when symptoms get acutely worse, known as flares, and times when there are no symptoms at all - or remission. Repeated bouts of gout can lead to a chronic gouty arthritis, a worsening more severe form of the disease.
There is no cure for gout, but you can effectively treat and manage the condition with both medication and self-management strategies.
2). What are some signs and symptoms?
Gout flares start suddenly and can last days or even weeks. These flares are often followed by long periods of remission—weeks, months, or years—without symptoms before another flare begins. Gout usually occurs in only one joint at a time, but there can be exceptions. Along with the big toe, other joints commonly affected are the lesser toe joints, the ankles, the knees, the wrists, or the finger joints.
Symptoms in the affected joint or joints may include:
- Pain, usually very intense
- Swelling
- Redness
- Heat
3). Can you define the cause or causes of gout?
Gout is caused by a condition known as hyperuricemia, where there is too much uric acid in the body. Making uric acid is a natural process and occurs when your body breaks down purines. These naturally are found in both your body and the foods you eat. When there is too much uric acid in the body, uric acid crystals can build up and deposit in joints, fluids, and tissues within the body. These are irritating to tissues and promote the acute inflammatory response known as gout. Hyperuricemia does not always cause gout. Hyperuricemia without gout symptoms does not need to be treated.
This content was originally posted on the WDTV News website here.
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