Symptoms of gout
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Loading ...Excessive uric acid in the blood stream can result in gout. Uric acid should be removed and passed as urine, however if too much remains then hyperuricemia can develop. Hyperuricemia is a sign of gout. The uric acid can build up to form crystals which then circulate in the blood stream. If these crystals enter a joint then they can trigger inflammation of that joint.
The most common symptom of gout is a sudden attack of arthritis, often in less than one day. The attack will be very painful, the affected joint will become red, hot, swollen and painful. The most common joints to be affected are those in the feet, especially the big toe.
Gout most commonly affects men when they are 40 to 60 years old, however it can affect a man anytime after puberty. Gout is much less common in women, and it only happens in very rare cases after the menopause.
Gout is one of the most painful things a man will experience; a doctor normally reaches his diagnosis of gout after an examination of the joint. An attack of gout normally starts during the night or early morning, the joint is very sensitive and any touch is too painful. The attack peaks within a couple of hours, the whole experience is very painful.
The joint may become so swollen that the skin appears shiny, and may even start to peal. Some people who suffer from gout complain of a mild fever or a loss of appetite.
If a gout attack is left untreated then it will normally last several days, in which time it dies out by itself, the joint will return to normal if left untreated.
Gout is likely to reoccur unless the patient adjusts their lifestyle. Lifestyle changes are vital in the cure of gout.
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