The low down on Gout

There is so much misinformation out there about gout. Gout is very painful (if you only have mild pain, then its probably not gout); gout usually affects those over the age of 40 (while it does happen in those less than 40, it is less likely to be gout); in the early stages gout usually affects one joint and is most common in the joint at the base of the big toe (if you have it in more than one joint initially, then it is less likely to be gout).

Gout happend when the body deposits uric acid crystals. To do this, it deposits the uric acid into the joints. Gout is caused by a reaction to the crystals that form. There is only two ways that the uric acid in the blood becomes high: Either you are taking in too much of the food that gets broken down into uric acid or your kidney is not getting rid of the uric acid that is formed (hence the reason that those with kidney problems get more gout).

To manage gout long term, the uric acid levels need to be reduced. All the treatments, drugs, diet changes, home remedies and “magical cures” fall into one the two ways that the uric acid was raised in the first place.

If too much uric acid is being formed, then you need to take in less food that is high in purines (eg offal foods; large amounts of red meat; shellfish; peas and beans; alcohol). Drugs used to treat this affect the enzyme that is used to break the food down into uric acid. Some of the remedies and “magical cures” also have a small affect on this and in many cases, that is all that is needed.

If the kidney is not removing the uric acidly properly, then another class of drugs act here. The kidneys will also function better if you drink a lot of water. Some of the home remedies and “magical cures” will also have a small effect on kidney function and in some cases, that is all that is needed.

For the very latest on gout, see this thread at Podiatry Arena: The Latest on Gout and the threads tagged with gout or check out the Gout Online Forum.