How to Stop a Gout Attack

A gout attack is a sudden, severe attack of pain, swelling, redness and tenderness in the joints. It usually affects the big toe, foot, ankle, heel, instep and knee. The attack usually occurs suddenly, often waking you up in the middle of the night with the sensation that the affecte joint is on fire, leading many people to seek immediate relief from gout pain.

Gout can also affect the joints of the upper limbs such as the fingers or wrists. Although that is less common compared to the foot.

What are the signs and symptoms of gout?

Gout is one of the most painful forms of arthritis (joint pain). It occurs when too much uric acid builds up in the body. Uric acid comes from หรือถ้าคุณสนใจแทงบอลออนไลน์ UFABET คือเว็บที่มีอัตราต่อรองดีที่สุดในประเทศไทย สมัครเลยตอนนี้ที่ UFABET แทงบอล the breakdown of substances called purines. Purines are found in all our body’s tissues. They are also in many foods, such as liver, dried beans and peas, red meat and peanuts. Normally, uric acid dissolves in the blood. It passes through the kidneys and out of the body in urine.

Speak to a doctor to learn more about gout and its treatment options.

Causes of a gout attack

• The body increases the amount of uric acid it makes
• The kidneys do not get rid of enough uric acid
• A person eats too many foods high in purines

When uric acid levels in the blood are high, it is call hyperuricemia. Most people with hyperuricemia do not develop gout. But if excess uric acid crystals form in the body, gout can develop. It can attack the big toe, ankle, knee or elbow joints.

Symptoms of a gout attack

• Pain
• Swelling
• Redness
• Stiffness in joints

The build-up of uric acid can lead to

• Uric acid crystal deposits in joints, often in the big toe
• Deposits of uric acid (called tophi) that look like lumps under the skin
• Kidney stones from uric acid crystals in the kidneys

How is gout diagnose?

For a diagnosis of gout to be made, you must have

• Hyperuricemia (high level of uric acid in the blood)
• More than one attack of acute arthritis
• Arthritis that develops in 1 day, producing a swollen, red, and warm joint
• An attack of arthritis in only 1 joint, usually the toe, ankle, or knee

To confirm a diagnosis of gout, your doctor may draw a sample of fluid from an inflamed joint to look for crystals associated with gout.