Gout or gouty arthritis, popularly called foot rheumatism, is an inflammatory disease caused by excess uric acid in the blood, a situation called hyperuricemia in which the concentration of urate in the blood is greater than 6.8 mg / dL, which causes a lot of joint pain. Symptoms include swelling, redness and pain when moving a joint, the most commonly affected being the big toe, which is painful, especially when walking.
It is important to note that not all people who have a high uric acid rate will develop gout, as the disease is dependent on other factors.
Gout attacks improve, and what you can do is improve your diet to reduce uric acid levels in your blood and the use of anti-inflammatory drugs to control pain and inflammation, such as Ibuprofen, Naproxen or Colchicine. However, it is important to control the levels of uric acid in the blood to prevent gout attacks and complications that are irreversible, such as deformed joints.
To control uric acid levels in the blood, the rheumatologist or general practitioner may recommend using medications to block uric acid production, such as Allopurinol, or medications to help the kidneys eliminate uric acid in the urine, such as Probeneced.
Main symptoms
Gout symptoms arise as a result of deposition of uric acid crystals in the joints, resulting in severe joint pain that lasts a few days and worsens with movement, in addition to increased local temperature, edema and redness.
The pain, which most often starts at dawn, is severe enough to wake the patient and lasts about 12 to 24 hours, however, after the pain the person may experience discomfort in the affected joint, especially when moving, which can last for a few days to weeks, especially if the gout is not properly treated.
Any joint can be affected, however gout is more frequent in the lower limbs, especially big toes. There may also be the formation of kidney stones and deposition of uric acid crystals under the skin, forming protuberances on the fingers, elbows, knees, feet and ears, for example.
Learn to recognize the symptoms of gout.
How is the diagnosis
The diagnosis of gout is performed according to the patient's clinical history, physical examination and complementary exams, such as blood and urine uric acid levels, in addition to radiographs.
The gold standard for diagnosing gout is the observation of urate crystals through microscopy.
Causes of gout
Gout happens as a consequence of hyperuricemia, which corresponds to an increase in the amount of uric acid in the blood, which can happen both due to the increase in the production of uric acid and also due to the deficiency in the elimination of this substance. Other causes of gout are:
- Inadequate medication intake; Excessive use of diuretics; Alcohol abuse; Excessive consumption of protein-rich foods, such as red meats, kids, seafood and legumes, such as peas, beans or lentils; Diabetes; Obesity; Uncontrolled high blood pressure;Arteriosclerosis.
Due to the large amounts of circulating uric acid, there is deposition of monosodium urate crystals, which is the solid form of uric acid, in the joints, especially big toes, ankles and knees.
The occurrence of gout is more common in overweight or obese people, who have a sedentary lifestyle and who have chronic diseases that are not being well controlled. In addition, gout is more common in men between 40 and 50 years old and women after menopause, usually from the age of 60.
How the treatment is done
Gout treatment is basically divided into two stages: management of the acute crisis and long-term therapy. Treatment for gout attacks involves anti-inflammatory drugs that should be recommended by the doctor, such as Ibuprofen or Naproxen, for example, to relieve joint pain and inflammation. Another anti-inflammatory remedy widely used to control pain and inflammation is Colchicine, which also acts on the level of uric acid.
Corticosteroid drugs, such as Prednisone, can also be used to treat joint pain and inflammation, however these drugs are only used when the person cannot take the other anti-inflammatory drugs or when they do not have the desired effect.
In addition to these remedies, the rheumatologist or general practitioner may also prescribe medications to control uric acid levels in the blood to prevent further attacks and prevent complications, such as Allopurinol or Probenecida. See more about gout treatment.
It is also important to change eating habits, since it can directly influence the amount of circulating uric acid and, consequently, the deposition of crystals in the joint, and treat underlying diseases that can also favor the occurrence of gout when not treated, such as hypertension and diabetes, for example.
How should the food be
To relieve the symptoms of gout and prevent new attacks, it is important to change your eating habits so that uric acid levels are regularized. In this way, the person should reduce or avoid the intake of foods rich in purines, such as cheese, lentils, soy, red meats or seafood, as they increase the levels of uric acid in the blood, and drink about 2 to 4 liters of water a day, as water helps to remove excess uric acid in the urine.
Find out what foods you should or should not eat in the drop in the following video:
