How Gout Develops and is Treated
Middle-aged people and the elderly are the most common sufferers of gout. The disease rarely occurs in children or young adults. Gout is also more common in males than in females, and females, if they do develop gout, usually do so much later in life, specifically post-menopause.
Common symptoms of gout are inflammation and swelling of the limbs, especially the legs, and joint pain similar to that caused by rheumatism or rheumatoid arthritis. Gout is distinctively chronic, meaning that these symptoms reoccur on a continued, if not regular, basis. In these repeated attacks, the joints and surrounding connective tissues experience notoriously excruciating pain from a couple of hours to a few days. In later stages of gout, the episodes can last a grueling seven to ten days.
The initial manifestations of gout usually occur lower in the body, particularly in the area of the toes, ankles, and heels. In fact, about three quarters of people diagnosed with gout have experienced podagra, which is the term for acute attacks of gout localized around the big toe. So-called acute attacks are usually very intense, but also pass relatively quickly. Podagra, for example, involves burning sensations, swelling, and intense pain, and usually happens during the night, lasting for two to three hours. It can also occur as a result of injury or extreme physical effort.
Chronic attacks, on the other hand, generally last much longer than acute gout attacks, and instead of being localized, occur in different areas of the body. These recurrent chronic attacks can occur not only in the toe and lower body region, but also involve swelling and pain in the fingers, wrists, elbows, or shoulders. Both chronic and acute gout attacks may also cause sweating and fever.
Gout attacks are often worsened both in terms of intensity and frequency by factors, such as physical inactivity and obesity, inappropriate diet, and alcohol abuse. The proper diet for the control of gout has been found to be one that does not contain much meat or seafood, as these contain purine, which is linked to the production of uric acid. On the other hand, foods, such as low-fat dairy, soy products, raw vegetables, and fresh fruits are thought to have beneficial effects on gout sufferers, preventing recurrence as well as speeding up the relief of existing attacks. Finally, gout patients are usually advised to take smaller meals more often and to not eat anything right before sleeping.
Apart from diet modification, medications are usually prescribed to relieve gout. Anti-inflammatory drugs are used to reduce swelling and the accompanying pain. Corticosteroid injections are prescribed in severe cases for quick relief.
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