The Havoc of Gout Disease

Suffering from a very painful rheumatic disease is definitely something that any of us would not want to experience. Everyday, however, there are more and more people who start to notice symptoms of gout disease. Gout is a kind of rheumatic disease that can affect both males and females – young and old alike. Gout diseases are caused by needle-like deposits of uric acid crystals in the connective tissues or in joint spaces or in both. This condition can later on result to inflammatory arthritis wherein a patient can suffer from swelling, redness, pain, heat, and stiffness in the affected area. About five percent of arthritis cases are in the form of gout.

Gout and kidney disease are both caused by a malfunction of the urinary system. Oftentimes, sufferers of gout have problems with eliminating uric acid from their system. As a result, excess uric acid in the bloodstream develops into crystals around joints and in connective tissues, making sufferers feel soreness and extreme pain in the affected area. Gout often affects the joints in the big toe and it can also affect joints in the insteps, heels, ankles, knees, fingers, wrists, and elbows.

This kind of disease typically progresses through four different stages. Asymptomatic hyperuricemia is characterized by high uric acid levels in the blood and does not require any treatment except for increased water intake. Acute gouty arthritis or acute gout is characterized by the development of uric acid crystal deposits in joint spaces. Treatment can be in the form of prescribed medications. Patients may also be advised to strictly observe a diet for gout disease.

Interval or inter-critical gout refers to the period between gout attacks. This stage describes that period wherein there are no observed symptoms among sufferers and joints go back to their normal functions. Chronic tophaceous gout is the last and final stage which can force a patient to become immobile. This is a disabling stage and it can develop over a period of 10 years. But with proper treatment, many patients can be saved from progressing into this dreadful stage.

Gout does not only come hand in hand with kidney disease. There are some patients who suffer from gout and heart disease all at the same time. This is possible because the excessive presence of uric acid in the bloodstream can affect the flow of blood into the different parts of the body. As a result, certain heart diseases can also develop while patients are suffering from gout.

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