Glossary of Health Terms

Gout is one of the most controllable of the metabolic disorders. Left untreated however, it can lead to kidney disease and even death. It is a major risk factor in high blood pressure and coronary artery disease. It can also cause a stroke. Gout affects millions of Americans each year. The main symptom of Gout is severe pain, sometimes in your elbow or knee, but more often in your hand or foot and frequently at the base of your big toe. The pain usually comes without warning, though experienced sufferers may note some early twinges. Within a few hours your joint is so swollen and tender that you cannot endure even the weight of a sheet. There is often a fever of up to 101°F and the inflamed skin over the joint is likely to be red, shiny and dry.

The first attack usually involves only one joint and lasts only a few days. Sometimes there will be no more attacks but there is usually a second, which may not occur for months or years. After the second attack the gout occurs at shorter intervals, lasts longer and involves more and more joints. If the disease is not treated the inflammation of soft tissue around your joints and the irritation on overlying skin may degenerate. There may be symptoms of kidney damage, such as renal colic or kidney stones. Gout is a common form of joint disease. It can affect males after puberty but women get it generally only after menopause. Women are less likely to be affected than men.

An excess of uric acid is the cause of Gout. It occurs when there is too much uric acid for the body to dispose of. It then settles into the joints and forms crystals that may lodge in areas of the body where blood flow is too meager or sluggish to carry them away. When uric acid crystals are caught in the spaces between one of your joints, the tissue surrounding it becomes inflamed. The inflammation irritates the nerve endings in the joint causing extreme pain. Sometimes the crystals also accumulate in the kidneys themselves, which may eventually cause kidney failure.

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