A common and complex form of arthritis is called gout, and it can affect anyone. It starts with sudden and severe pain, redness, tenderness, and swelling of the joints. Usually, the first joint that is affected is the one of the big tie.
The attack can occur very suddenly, so seek medical help if you start experiencing sudden and severe pain. You could check out rheumatologist gout in Brisbane like in arthritisCARE or you could search locally for a doctor.
Talk to your doctor about gout and the possible treatments
Symptoms
The signs and symptoms happen suddenly and more often than not, they happen at night. The symptoms of gout can include:
- Pain in the joints. In a lot of cases, gout will first occur in the joint of your big toe, but it can affect any of the joints. For example, some of the most commonly affected joints are wrists, fingers, elbows, ankles and knees. When the pains tarts it will be severe and last from four to twelve hours.
- Discomfort after the pain. When the pain subsides, you can expect to have some form of discomfort. The discomfort can last from a couple of days to weeks. The pain that occurs after, will be a lot more severe and can last longer.
- Redness and inflammation. The joint or joints that were affected will be swollen, red, warm and tender.
- Limited range of motion. If the condition goes untreated, you might experience a limited range of motion.
Causes
People who have osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis could also have Gout. This condition will occur when the uric acid crystals gather in the joint tissues. It will cause severe and sudden pain, tenderness and swelling, which often happens in the big toe joint. In case you have arthritis, you can check out arthritisCARE – osteoarthritis specialist in Brisbane to learn more.
When the purines are broken down, our body will produce uric acid. Purines can naturally be found in the body, as well as certain foods. Normally, uric acid will dissolve in the blood, and it will pass through the kidneys to our urine.
However, there are some cases when the body simply produces too much uric acid, or not enough uric acid is expelled from the kidneys. If this occurs, the uric acid can build up, and thus form a condition that we all know as gout. There are also some risks factors that can be considered, such as obesity, diet, medical conditions, certain medications… etc.
If gout goes untreated it can cause permanent damage in the joints
Final word
If you start feeling sudden and severe pain, it is important that you talk to your doctor. There are many things to be considered, and after a thorough examination your doctor will be able to give you a treatment plan that can help. Keep in mind that if gout goes untreated it can cause permanent damage in your joints.
