When someone suffers from gout, the uric acid that's developed in their bodily system starts to form jagged crystal-like shapes inside the blood stream. It is these terribly painful little crystals that cause the awful swelling and pain that gout is known for. However, what causes the uric acid build up and how do you know if you are experiencing a gout attack?
The causes of gout attacks can be ascribed to a lot of different reasons. Foods high in purines are a very common culprit. Foods such as salmon, seafood and alcohol. Also, offal meats (parts of animals we eat other than muscle, like liver and kidney's) are also suspected of inducing gout because of their high purine content.
Because of reasons not known to physicians, approximately 75% of gout sufferers? first begin to experience an attack in the joint of the big toe. Additional likely joints that might indicate a gout attack are the ankle, knee or elbow.
The horrible pain connected with gout comes from two different sources. There's the sharp, stabbing or knife-like pain caused by the crystals that get lodged inside the toe joint, as well as the pain caused by the swelling up and inflammation of the tissues near the joint.
Gout has 4 stages that a sufferer might end up going through if the condition is left untreated. The first is asymptomatic, which simply features rising levels of the sinister uric acid rising in the blood stream, but prior to any symptoms becoming evident.
The second is acute gout, which features someones first gout attack, most of which disappear quickly and there is not a frequent re-occurrence. Remember, the quicker you get treatment, the quicker the pain will go away. The average case of gout lasts only a day or two with proper care.
The third stage of gout is inter-critical, which is just the symptom-free time in between attacks, and the fourth and final stage of gout is the chronic stage. Chronic gout is comprised of multiple bouts of the disease and the gout assaulting more than one joint at once.
Whenever gout isn't treated correctly, serious health problems can occur.
There is no "cure" for gout in the traditional sense. However, there are several different treatments and you'll be able to effectively get rid of the risk of gout through natural means.
Most doctors prescribe a switch in diet from foods high in purine to foods that aid the body in absorbing excess uric acid in the blood stream. Most berries and fruit are wonderful at absorbing uric acid, whereas foods high in protein shouldn't be eaten at all during a flare-up since it's believed those foods make matters worse.
With proper diet and early diagnosis, the pain of gout can be controlled.
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