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Gout Treatment
Gout - Treatments, Causes & Symptoms
Gout is a type of arthritis caused by the build-up of uric acid crystals in the joints. It can cause intense pain, swelling, and redness in the affected joint. If left untreated, gout can lead to joint damage and other health problems. In this blog, we will discuss the causes, symptoms, and treatments of gout, including the role of a rheumatologist in Dubai.
Causes of Gout:
Gout occurs when there is too much uric acid in the blood called “hyperuricemia,”, and the body cannot get rid of it effectively. Uric acid is a waste product that is normally excreted by the kidneys and gut. However, when there is an excess of uric acid, it can accumulate in the joints and form crystals, leading to inflammation and pain.
There are several factors that can contribute to the development of gout, including:
- Genetics: Some people may be more prone to gout due to their genetics.
- Diet: A diet high in purines (found in red meat, seafood, alcohol and the most important in sugary beverages) can increase uric acid levels.
- Medical conditions: Certain medical conditions, such as kidney disease or diabetes, can increase the risk of gout.
Symptoms of Gout:
Gout usually occurs in a sudden attack. It typically develops quickly over a few hours and causes severe pain, swollen and redness in one joint. The big toe is the most commonly affected joint. Walking can be very painful and even the weight of bedclothes can hurt. The attacks usually happened after party with a lot of alcohol drinks and meat food, but also after sports or even tight new choose.
Other symptoms of gout may include:
- Limited range of motion in the affected joint
- Tenderness around the joint
- Peeling and itching of the skin around the joint
- Fever and chills (in rare cases)
The interval between attacks can be from 3 months to several years. Without treatment patients usually developed chronic arthritis similar to rheumatoid arthritis and tophus. Tophus is a crystal deposition in different organs and tissues. It can occur not only in joints, bones, cartilage and ligaments, but in heart, eyes, vessels, spine and many other organs.
Gout not only arthritis. It’s a metabolic disfunction. Hight level of uric acid induced diabetes, high level of cholesterol and blood pressure, kidney disease.
Gout Treatments:
The main treatment of gout is urate-lowering therapy which locked uric acid synthesis and prevent acute attacks and crystal deposition.
Rescue treatment include managing the symptoms.
Medications:
Urate-lowering drugs:
- Allopurinol and febuxostat are currently the only two FDA-approved.
Management of pain and symptoms:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Colchicine
- Corticosteroids may be prescribed for severe cases of gout only by rheumatologist.
Lifestyle changes:
- Maintaining a healthy weight can help reduce the risk of gout.
- Limiting sugary beverages, alcohol consumption and avoiding foods high in purines can also help.
- Drinking plenty of water can help flush excess uric acid out of the body.
Role of a Rheumatologist in Dubai:
A rheumatologist is a specialist who focuses on diagnosing and treating conditions that affect the joints, muscles, and bones. If you are experiencing symptoms of gout, it may be helpful to see a rheumatologist in Dubai for an evaluation.
A rheumatologist can perform a physical examination and order tests (such as blood tests or joint fluid analysis) to diagnose gout. They can also develop a personalized treatment plan to manage your symptoms and prevent future attacks.
In conclusion, gout is a painful and potentially debilitating condition that can be managed with the right treatment. By making lifestyle changes and working with a rheumatologist in Dubai, you can reduce the frequency and severity of gout attacks and improve your quality of life.
FAQs:
Urate-lowering drugs is the only one tablet that can cure gout. It should be prescribed after the first attack and taken every day for whole life to prevent joints and organs damage.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), colchicine, and corticosteroids are commonly used to manage the symptoms of gout. The choice of medication depends on the severity of the symptoms and other medical conditions a patient may have. Your healthcare provider can help determine the best medication for you.
Definitely not.
Lifestyle changes can help the medication in managing gout symptoms and preventing future attacks. These changes include maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding foods high in purines, limiting alcohol consumption, and drinking plenty of water.
A gout attack typically lasts between 3 to 10 days. However, the frequency and duration of attacks may vary depending on the individual.
Gout in only one arthritis among rheumatic diseases that can be cured. Regular intake of urate-lowering drugs allow not only stop the symptoms, but also reduce existing crystal deposition in all tissues.
Treatments
Inflammatory arthritis:
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in adults
- Psoriatic arthritis
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Adult-Onset Still’s Disease
Systemic diseases:
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)
- Scleroderma
- Syndrome Raynaud’s
- Sjogren Syndrome
Crystal arthritis:
- Gout and Pseudogout
Systemic Vasculitis:
- Giant cell arteritis
- Takayasu arteritis
- Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener’s)
- EGPA (Churg-Strauss syndrome)
- Polyarteritis nodosa
Degenerative and metabolic diseases:
- Osteoarthritis
- Osteoporosis
- Expert at the area of biologic therapy of the autoimmune diseases
