النقرس (Gout)

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Gout

 

Everything You Need to Know About Gout

What is Gout?

Gout is a common form of arthritis that typically affects one joint at a time (often the big toe).

There are periods when symptoms worsen (gout attacks) and times when there are no symptoms. Repeated gout attacks can also lead to gouty arthritis, a severe form of arthritis.

What Are the Symptoms of Gout?

  • Gout attacks start suddenly and can last for days or weeks, followed by long periods of inactivity that may extend to years without symptoms until the next attack begins. Symptoms of gout that appear in the joints include:
  • Pain, usually intense
  • Swelling in the joint
  • Redness in the joint
  • Heat in the joint

Stiffness in the joint 

What Are the Causes of Gout?

  1. Factors that increase the likelihood of developing gout include:
  2. Obesity.
    • Certain health conditions, such as:
    • – High blood pressure
    • – Insulin resistance
    • – Metabolicsyndrome
    • – Diabetes
  3. – Poor kidney function
  4. Use of certain medications like diuretics.
  5. Consuming foods or drinks high in fructose.
  6. Following a high-protein diet, including foods rich in purines (red meats) and certain seafood like salmon and tuna.

Alcohol.

What Are the Diagnostic Methods?:

  • The physician takes a medical history and conducts a clinicalexamination, and may request additional procedures as necessary, such as:
  • Blood tests, where theamount of uric acidin the bloodcan be tested.
  • Imaging, where joints are imaged using X-rays, ultrasound, or MRI scans.

Aspiration, where diagnosis can be confirmed by aspirating fluid from the joint with a small needle and examining it under a microscope to check for uric acid crystals or other issues like infection or bacteria.

What Are the Treatment Methods for Gout?

  1. Treatment involves several procedures or as needed, and may include:
  2. Controlling the pain of attacks, which involves medication.

Preventing future attacks by changing diet and lifestyle, like losing weight and consuming smaller amounts of high-protein foods, such as red meat, as well as using certain medications in some cases to reduce uric acid formation.

What Are the Ways to Prevent Gout?

  • Making some lifestyle changes may help prevent gout, such as:
  • Drinking enough water helps the kidneys function better by eliminating excess uric acid from the body through urine.
  • Exercising regularly, as being overweight increases uric acid in the body and puts pressure on the joints.
  • Limiting proteins in the body, which are abundant in certain foods and drinks, such as red meat, animal proteins in general, and drinks high in fructose (fruit sugar).
  • Quitting smoking.

Avoiding alcohol consumption.

What Arethe Complications of Gout?

Frequent attacks are rare, but if they occur, they can lead to permanent joint damage. Additionally, gout can lead to other health problems such as kidney stones and heart diseases.

Chronic gout can also cause small white lumps to appear on the skin.

When Should You See a Doctor?

 

A patient should see a doctor if experiencing sudden and severe joint pain or if the joint feels hot, swollen, or red.

  • Frequently Asked Questions

Is it possible to control symptoms without seeing a doctor?

    • Yes, when experiencing gout, a patient can control symptoms by:
    • Avoiding drinks high in fructose.
    • Drinking plenty of fluids.
    • Elevating the affected joint.
    • Applying ice to the joint for up to 20 minutes at a time.
  • Limiting any pressure on the joint.

What specialist should a patient consult if experiencing these symptoms?

  • The patient can visit an outpatient clinic to see a family doctor or the emergency department during attacks.
    1. What conditions may increase the chanceof a strong gout attack?. 
    2. Illness causingfever.
    3. Dehydration.
    4. Joint injury.

 

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