Home Medical Info Disease Index Gout

What is Gout?

A form of arthritis that is a painful inflammation and swelling of the joints caused by the buildup of uric acid in the body. Certain foods cause gout so diet plays a role. Treatment of gout can be acheived through medication and proper diet.

Gout Symptoms

The most common gout symptom is sudden, severe attacks of pain, tenderness, redness, warmth and swelling in some joints. It usually affects one joint at a time, especially the joint of the big toe, but can also affect the knee, ankle, foot, hand, wrist and elbow. Deposits of uric acid, called tophi, can appear as lumps under the skin around the joints and at the rim of the ear. In addition, uric acid crystals can also collect in the kidneys and cause kidney stones.

Causes of Gout

This is one of the few types of arthritis where the cause is known. It results from deposits of needle-like crystals of uric acid in the connective tissue, joint spaces, or both. Normally this is a byproduct of the breakdown of purines or waste products in the body. Normally uric acid breaks down in the blood and is eliminated in urine. When the body increases its production of uric acid or if the kidneys do not eliminate enough of it from the body, levels build up. This is called hyperuricemia. Hyperuricemia is not a disease and is not dangerous. However, if excess uric acid crystals form as a result of hyperuricemia, gout can develop.

Foods that Cause Gout

Some people may benefit from a reduction of purine rich foods. These include beer and other alcoholic beverages, anchovies, sardines (in oil), fish roes, herring, yeast, organ meats (e.g., liver, kidneys), legumes (e.g., dried beans, peas, and soybeans), meat extracts, consommé, gravies, mushrooms, spinach, asparagus, cauliflower, and poultry. Weight loss can help reduce uric acid levels in those people that are overweight.

Gout Treatment

Although there is no cure, most people with gout can keep it under control and lead normal lives. Treatment may consist of one treatment or a combination of treatments.

Gout Medications