Gout Treatment and Gout Remedies

Arthritis is a painful condition of the joints that often leads to disability. The word "arthritis" is derived from the Greek roots arthro- meaning joint and the suffix -itis for inflammation. The plural form is "arthritides". Some of the most common forms of arthritis are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout.

Osteoarthritis is the most prevalent form of arthritis. It is a degenerative joint disease that frequently develops following trauma or infection of a joint, although it can occur as a result of aging.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system starts attacking its own tissues.
Gout or Gouty Arthritis is the most painful form of arthritis. Deposits of uric acid crystals in the joints cause redness, inflammation, and intense pain.

Thermogram shows
lower temperature in
the knees and feet

What is Gout?
Gout occurs when too much uric acid builds up in the blood and uric acid crystals precipitate in the cooler parts of the body such as the joints of the hands or feet. High levels of uric acid may also build up as lumps under the skin called tophi, or as kidney stones. Uric Acid is a waste product of the oxidation of purines which are constituents of nucleic acids such as DNA. Uric acid is normally excreted in the urine to maintain a concentration of uric acid in the blood of approximately 4 mg/dL. When the concentration exceeds 7 mg/dL, crystals of monosodium urate start to form in the tissues. This condition is known as hyperuricemia.

What are the symptoms of Gout?
The symptoms of gout are redness of a joint, accompanied by inflammation, stiffness, and intense pain. Many people experience their first gout attack in the big toe, but other joints such as the ankles, wrists, fingers, or elbows may be affected. The pain may be so severe that even the pressure of bed sheets may be unbearable. A gout attack can be brought on by alcohol, or foods high in purines such as shellfish, caviar, sardines, anchovies, meats, or organ meats that are commonly used in sausages. A study over a 12-year period of 47,000 adult men revealed that those who ate the most red meat or seafood increased their risk of gout by as much as 50%.[6] Many gout attacks get better within a few days, even without treatment, and they may not recur for many months or years.

How is Gout Diagnosed?
Gout is diagnosed based on family history, specific symptoms, and laboratory tests. Diagnosis of gout is confirmed by the determination of high levels of uric acid in the blood, monosodium urate crystals in the fluid of an inflamed joint, more than one attack of acute arthritis, and the involvement of only one joint such as the toe, ankle, or knee.

How is Gout treated?
Because gout episodes are so painful, patients demand some kind of gout treatment, even though the treatments for gout are not very effective and have undesirable side effects. The most common treatments include the administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, indomethacin and naproxen. Aspirin is not used because it aggravates hyperuricemia by increasing uric acid retention.[17] These medications can cause stomach pain, bleeding and ulcers, and beyond a certain dosage, they do not provide additional ...
Click here to read the rest of this article.