What is gout? Is it something to do with the joints?

Answer 1

It's a type of arthritis. Specifically, it's the propensity for uric acid crystals to accumulate in the joints. If you have been diagnosed with gout, you need to be referred to a rheumatologist, as well as to a registered dietician. The latter recommendation is because gout and pseudogout are the ONLY two types of arthritis that have any connection to diet.

Answer 2

Gout is an excess of Uric Acid in the blood, and is related to Arthritis. Gout is commonly known as the drinkers disease, but there is no truth in this. I guess that you have been checked out by the doc, so you should know this already.

Answer 3

It's a type of arthritis. There's more information about gout at
http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/gout/gout.htm

Answer 4

Gout is a metabolic arthritis. Read more at the websites below.

Answer 5

its actually a form of arthritis. Crystals form in the joints making movement very painful. Watching your diet helps & you can get various treatments from the doc

Answer 6

Gout is one of the most painful forms of arthritis. It occurs when too much uric acid builds up in the body. The buildup of uric acid can lead to:

Sharp uric acid crystal deposits in joints, often in the big toe
Deposits of uric acid (called tophi) that look like lumps under the skin
Kidney stones from uric acid crystals in the kidneys.


For many people, the first attack of gout occurs in the big toe. Often, the attack wakes a person from sleep. The toe is very sore, red, warm, and swollen.

Gout can cause:

Pain
Swelling
Redness
Heat
Stiffness in joints.
In addition to the big toe, gout can affect the:

Instep
Ankles
Heels
Knees
Wrists
Fingers
Elbows.
A gout attack can be brought on by stressful events, alcohol or drugs, or another illness. Early attacks usually get better within 3 to 10 days, even without treatment. The next attack may not occur for months or even years.

What Causes Gout?

Gout is caused by the buildup of too much uric acid in the body. Uric acid comes from the breakdown of substances called purines. Purines are found in all of your body's tissues. They are also in many foods, such as liver, dried beans and peas, and anchovies.

Normally, uric acid dissolves in the blood. It passes through the kidneys and out of the body in urine. But uric acid can build up in the blood when:

The body increases the amount of uric acid it makes.
The kidneys do not get rid of enough uric acid.
A person eats too many foods high in purines.
When uric acid levels in the blood are high, it is called hyperuricemia. Most people with hyperuricemia do not develop gout. But if excess uric acid crystals form in the body, gout can develop.

You are more likely to have gout if you:

Have family members with the disease
Are a man
Are overweight
Drink too much alcohol
Eat too many foods rich in purines
Have an enzyme defect that makes it hard for the body to break down purines
Are exposed to lead in the environment
Have had an organ transplant
Use some medicines such as diuretics, aspirin, cyclosporine, or levodopa
Take the vitamin niacin.


How Is Gout Diagnosed?

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms, medical history, and family history of gout. Signs and symptoms of gout include:

Hyperuricemia (high level of uric acid in the blood)
Uric acid crystals in joint fluid
More than one attack of acute arthritis
Arthritis that develops in 1 day, producing a swollen, red, and warm joint
Attack of arthritis in only one joint, usually the toe, ankle, or knee.
To confirm a diagnosis of gout, your doctor may draw a sample of fluid from an inflamed joint to look for crystals associated with gout.

How Is Gout Treated?

Doctors use medicines to treat an acute attack of gout, including:

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as Motrin*
Corticosteroids, such as prednisone
Colchicine, which works best when taken within the first 12 hours of an acute attack.
Sometimes doctors prescribe NSAIDs or colchicine in small daily doses to prevent future attacks. There are also medicines that lower the level of uric acid in the blood.

What Can People With Gout Do to Stay Healthy?

Some things that you can do to stay healthy are:

Take the medicines your doctor prescribes as directed.
Tell your doctor about all the medicines and vitamins you take.
Plan followup visits with your doctor.
Maintain a healthy, balanced diet. Avoid foods that are high in purines, and drink plenty of water.
Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy body weight. Ask your doctor about how to lose weight safely. Fast or extreme weight loss can increase uric acid levels in the blood.


What Research Is Being Done on Gout?

Scientists are studying:

Which NSAIDs are the most effective treatments for gout
New medicines that safely lower uric acid in the blood and reduce symptoms
Enzymes that break down purines in the body.
Scientists are also studying the role of genetics and environmental factors in hyperuricemia and gout.

For More Information on Gout and Other Related Conditions:

National Institutes of Health
Phone: 877–22–NIAMS (226–4267) (free of charge)

Answer 7

It's uric acid in your blood which crystalises around your joints like knuckles and toes...very painful inflamations

Answer 8

Hello, Found this information for you hope it helps?

Symptoms include sudden, severe pain and tenderness, redness, warmth and swelling, in the affected joints -- most commonly the big toe. The initial attack often occurs at night and is confused by many sufferers with a broken or dislocated toe. Even the weight of bed sheets on the swollen joint can cause excruciating pain. Repeated attacks may be preceded by a tingling sensation in the previously affected joint.

Gout is sometimes difficult to diagnose and can be confused with other illnesses, like a sprain or an infection. It is most commonly diagnosed with a physical examination, medical history, and possibly a test to measure the amount of uric acid in the blood. Your doctor may extract fluid from the affected joint, called synovial fluid, with a needle and examine it for crystals under a microscope.

There is no permanent cure for gout, but the much can be done to manage the pain of an acute attack, lessen the duration of an attack, and prevent future attacks. Pain and other symptoms of an acute attack can be managed with high doses of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Corticosteroid drugs may be injected directly into the affected joint. Patients usually notice an improvement within a few hours and completely recover within a few days. Treatment is most effective if it begins as soon as possible when an attack occurs.If NSAIDS do not control symptoms, the doctor may prescribe colchicine. It can be given by intravenous injection or by mouth. When taken by mouth diarrhea is a common side effect. Colchicine is most effective when given within 12 hours after an acute attack begins.Lower doses of NSAIDs and colchicine, along with lifestyle changes, may be prescribed to prevent further attacks. If attacks continue to occur even with these medications and lifestyle changes, a drug to reduce the body's production of uric acid, most commonly allopurinol or probenecid, may be prescribed.

Alternative and complimentary treatments for gout focus on helping your body prevent and eliminate the build up of uric acid. These include:

Doing everything you can to support the healthy function of your blood cleaners -- the liver and kidneys. The better they are working, the better they can clean your blood of uric acid and toxins.
Drinking lots of fluids, especially water. Try to drink six pints or 96 ounces a day. Dehydration reduces kidney function and can lead to uric acid build-up. Slightly alkaline natural spring water may help reduce the acidity in your body.
Reducing the amount of meat in your diet because meat is rich in uric acid forming components. Consider a vegetarian lifestyle.
Eating plenty of raw fruit, vegetables, grains, seeds, and nuts. Cherries and strawberries appear to be most beneficial.
Avoiding purine rich foods like anchovies, asparagus, crab, fish roe (caviar), herring, kidney, liver, meat gravies and broths, mushrooms, mussels, peas, beans, and sardines.
Avoiding alcohol. Avoiding rapid weight loss while seeking an appropriate weight/height ratio. Excess body weight and crash dieting both can result in increased uric acid levels in the blood. Reduce any extra weight slowly and healthfully.
Exercising regularly.
Drinking black cherry juice. Black cherry juice, available at health food stores, may prevent attacks and shorten acute attacks according to claims from others with gout. Black cherry extract is also available in tablet form. This is not the same as cherry drinks containing low percentages of cherry juice or artificial cherry flavor.

If you suspect a gout attack schedule an appointment with a doctor as soon as possible. It is easiest to diagnose gout if the doctor can see the attack in progress. Treatment is also most effective when started within 12 hours, if at all possible.

In the meantime focus on managing pain and helping the body eliminate excess uric acid. For pain and swelling take an over the counter NSAID medication, such as ibuprofen (if you are not allergic to this medication). Aspirin and acetaminophen may help with pain but do not reduce swelling, so ibuprofen is preferred.

Drinking large amounts of water may help the body to flush out excess uric acid. Some patients claim cold packs make a gout attack more painful so use heat packs instead. Keep pressure off the affected joint, for example don't constrict the area with tight clothing or try to wrap it. Minimize use of the joint and try to rest.

With proper treatment a gout attack will begin to subside within a few hours and go away within a few days. Untreated attacks may last days or weeks.

With preventative treatment you may be able to prevent further attacks or lessen their severity. Without preventative treatment future attacks will likely occur, usually months or years apart. Because gout seems to 'go away,' many people stop preventative care only to have their gout return.In those with untreated gout hard deposits of crystalline uric acid, called tophi, may appear as a lump just under the skin, particularly around the joints and at the rim of the ear. Keeping gout and uric acid levels under control can prevent these lumps. Small tophi will likely shrink in size or disappear when uric acid levels are reduced in the blood. Extremely large deposits may need to be surgically removed.

Questions to Ask the Doctor
What can I do to minimize the pain?
What medications do you recommend?
Are there any side effects from these medications I should be aware of?
How often do I take these medications?
How long will I need to take them?
Are these medicines ok to take with the other medication(s) I already take? (Bring a list.)
Besides medication, is there anything I can do to reduce the pain?
How can I prevent future gout attacks?
Should I change my diet?
What follow-up care do you recommend?
When should I come back?

Answer 9

usually in the oes when crystals form in the joints.

Answer 10

It's the stuff between floor tiles...