Gout Symptoms

Gout Symptoms

Gout Symptoms?

Well just what are Gout Symptoms? Gout is a medical term used to describe over 100 different types of arthritic conditions that can affect our body.

This type of arthritis is best known because  it brings swelling and stiffness in a joint. The mos typical example is when it occurs on the big toe.

Gout symptoms are more common in men then they are in women.  And unfortunately the risk of having Gout increases if the individual is overweight, consumes a large amount of meats and drinks alcohol.

One of the most common Gout Symptoms is the tenderness and redness in the joint accompanied by a sharp, intense pain. The intensity can vary fromindividual to individual.

As we mentioned earlier, gout typically appears in the big toe. However it sometimes occurs in the knee or wrist.  It usually will occur suddenly and without warning ans the pain will be intense.

When the pain is left untreated it can last up to a week. This is the time it will take for the crystals to dissolve from the joint.

When this occurs the joint will be red, swollen and very tender.  If a patient touches or moves the toe in any way, it will be extremely painful. Minor things such as the friction that occurs with a sheet in bed will cause severe pain.

Gout Symptoms will typically occur in one joint at a time.

These symptoms can be split into four different stages:

1) In the asymptomatic stage the uric acid levels are rising in the blood but the individual doesn’t have any of the typical symptoms.

2) In the acute stage individuals experience the typical pain, swelling and tenderness commonly associated with gout.

3) In the intercritical stage, individuals are symptom-free.  Although many will have a second attack sometime in six months to twelve after the first attack.

4) In the chronic stage individuals will experience ongoing painful in the joints. This will occur because the joints that have a large deposits of urate crystals in the cartilage, membranes and tendons and soft tissue around the joints.  The skin over these deposits will develop sores and often release a white pus.  The joint will become stiff and patients will have very limited motion around the affected joint.

With the  gout is diagnosed early and an effective treatment is put in place along with a strong healthy diet many individuals will never reach the chronic stage. The life style changes are necessary to ensure that the individuals impacted with gout never reach the chronic stage. These changes will prove to be very effective in avoiding the persistent pain associated with gout pain.

If you would like to find out more information about Gout Symptoms visit our previous post.