What is gout?
Gout is a very painful type of inflammatory arthritis caused by deposits of urate crystals formed in and around the joints or other tissues. It’s one of the most common type of inflammatory arthritis. Men tend to be more susceptible and it is more common as you get older.
The most common area this will occur in, is the big toe (1st metatarsophalangeal joint), however it can also occur in any other joints within the body, especially in the joints at the ends of your leg and arms. When the symptoms occurs it can cause great pain and swelling within the affected joints, which will affect your ability to walk or function due to the severity of the pain.
Signs and symptoms:
Source: Hellerhoff Stiffness in the affected joint. (Most commonly the big toe)
- Hot or burning sensation around affected joint
- Swelling around the joint
- Sudden onset and excruciating pain at the affected joint.
- Pain that is worse with movement or rubbing against the joint
Causes of Gout:
Gout is the manifestation of increased amounts of
There are two types of gout:
Primary:
- there is no single cause.
Secondary:
- caused by something else; chronic kidney disease or long-term use of medications that affect how well your kidneys can filter rate from your body.
Risk factors for getting Gout:
You are more likely at an increase risk of a gout attack if you:
- Take certain medication (such as diuretics or aspirin) for prolong periods
- Have a high purine diet – seafood and red meat
- Have a high intake of alcohol – in particular beer or spirits
- Gender – men are more commonly affected and risk
- Age – risk is greater as you get older
- Being overweight or obese
- Family history – common cause of primary gout
- Other conditions
- Chronic kidney disease
- High cholesterol and fats in blood
- High bloody pressure
- Type 2 diabetes
Diagnosis of Gout:
Gout is usually easily diagnosed if patients reports the typical symptoms of the condition – for example, if you have a sudden attack in your big toe.
Other methods to determine if you have gout are laboratory blood test to measure your rate levels to help support a diagnosis of gout. Imaging such as Ultrasound and CT scans to spot early signs of gout such as joint damage or crystals within the joint. X-rays are commonly used in the later stages of gout to identify the severity of bone and joint damage.
Treatment of Gout:
At Quay Health, our practitioners can provide you with treatment plans to help maintain and improved your joint health and joint function. Our podiatrist may also include the use of an orthotic or other other modifications to your footwear to unload the pressure to the affected areas.
The most effective treatment for gout thought is to assess and determine what kind of lifestyle factors are contributing to your gout. Eliminating or reducing these lifestyle choices can result in your gout going away or significantly reduced the severity.
For ongoing treatment, prescribed medications by your GP can help reduce your body’s production or rate crystals.For acute gout attacks, speak to a GP for the use of non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen, naproxen or aspirin, that will help with pain and swelling.
Post by: Chiropractor Steven Tran
