Gout is an excruciating condition in which the damage revolves mainly around the foot and specifically around the big toe. It usually affects arthritis patients and it is the result of the formation of sodium urate crystals around the joint that goes further down the line into sharp and short needle-like particles that cause unbearable pain in the joints. Moreover, gout patients also have to endure a condition called hyperuricemia which happens when uric acid increases in the blood. But science, nevertheless, shows that not everyone with high uric acid content in the blood can go through gout. Additionally, when hyperuricemia turns into the chronic stage, it encourages uric crystals the pop up in the joints.
Gout targets everyone, but studies suggest that it specifically targets men over 30. The causes of having uric acid in the joints are numerous: some have to do with diet, genetics, alcohol, a high purine-rich protein diet, joint injuries, and even medications.
Diet is the primary perpetrator of gout. With that being said, the condition is set off by the high consumption of uric acid, which we can trace back to alcohol, meats, and seafood. Moreover, hydration can also be a major factor here. Thus drinking certain beverages like coffee, tea, and alcohol will certainly prompt gout. In addition to that, medications like diuretics (for blood pressure) or medications that compromise kidneys can also spark gout off.
Pain In The Toe
-gout patients usually encounter podagra as a symptom first, which is intense pain in the big toe. It is one of the primary signs of gout and it denotes that there are high levels of uric acid in the diet. The discomfort can stay around for hours or even days, spreading all over the foot, hands, wrist, and knees. This occurs when purines are broken down in a diet that contains mackerel, anchovies, beer, or beef liver.
What norally happens with uric acid is it gets excreted through urine after passing by the kidneys. This means that high amounts of uric acid will give the body a hard time getting rid of it effectively. This, in turn, generates a build-up of too much uric acid in the joints and especially down the toe which ends up with that unbearable pain or even the inability to walk as usual.
Don’t click off yet! There are more symptoms of gout in the next pages that are also worthy of acknowledgment.