Gout: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment - A Comprehensive Guide

Gout is a common, painful arthritic condition. Gout attacks typically occur in the big toe, but can also affect knees, elbows, fingers, heels and ankles. Gout symptoms should be professionally treated as soon as possible. Untreated gout often leads to longer, more painful attacks.

Symptoms

• Gout typically causes the affected joint to swell, stiffen, feel hot and turn red. Other symptoms include high fever and chills.

Causes

• Gout occurs when an excess of uric acid builds up in the tissues. This acidic build-up causes crystals to form in the joints.

Risk Factors

• Gout generally affects males over the age of 40 and postmenopausal females. Gout symptoms are also more likely to develop in individuals with high triglyceride levels.

Treatment

• Physicians often prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to help relieve gout swelling and pain. Allopurinol is also commonly prescribed to reduce a patient's levels of uric acid.

Considerations

• Gout patients have an greater risk of developing high blood pressure, kidney stones and kidney disease. Some gout patients lose their mobility and end up on bed rest.