Gout

Gout is a chronic auto inflammatory disease with regular acute flares which causes severe pain and joint inflammation. It mainly occurs due to high content of uric acid in the blood, leading to accumulation of uric acid crystals in the joints. It is a type of arthritis that affects common joints such as big toe, ankle and knee.

It is caused by excess uric acid in the body that leads to monosodium urate crystal deposits in the joints. Uric acid is a natural waste product from foods containing purines. If you consume foods high in purine, your body sometimes cannot get rid of this by-product. Gout is caused by different factors: diet, genetics, obesity, stress, high alcohol consumption, medications. Also happens with diabetes, heart failure, kidney problems, and hypertension.

- Acute gout attacks very fast with intense joint pain within 8 to 12 hours - Often affects the joint of big toe first - Redness in skin over joint - Mild fever and chills - Pain in back and side - May cause kidney stones - Lumps of urate crystal deposits under the skin

Joint fluid tests: examining fluid for urate crystals. Blood test: finding uric acid levels. X-ray imaging: checking for other joint inflammation. Ultrasound and CT scan: detecting urate crystals.

For acute gout: NSAIDs, oral Colchicine, hydration. For chronic gout: lifestyle modifications (avoid alcohol, reduce protein, reduce weight), long-term medications to maintain uric acid levels. Prevention: Completely avoid alcohol, avoid sugary drinks, increase water intake, reduce high-purine foods like red meat and seafood, exercise regularly, maintain healthy weight. Gout is a serious and painful problem which cannot be cured completely. It is a long term disease that can only be controlled with combination of medicines and anti-inflammation drugs.