WhatisGout

Build up of uric acid causes a form of arthritis which is Gout. This uric acid which is supposed to go out of the body builds up and crystallizes in the joint. They accumulate in the big toe or knees and may be very painful causing swelling and inflammation. Drugs are available in the market which you can take to keep yourself away from a gout attack. But if you increase the level of vitamin C intake it helps a lot in reduction of the gout attack.

So sufferers of gout try to increase your vitamin C intake and get relief from gout. But it is always advisable to consult a doctor and seek his/her advise. This disease apart from attacking the big toe gives agonizing pain to other parts of the body like elbows, shoulders, hands, wrists, knees and feet. Sometimes the patient may get fever and the symptoms of gout lasts for 2-5 days.

Symptoms of gout:

One of the usual gout symptoms is pain on the big toe. This pain starts with sharp burst of pain, the person suffering from this pain will feel as if needles are being inserted through the big toe. As time passes the pricking pain becomes a throbbing pain lasting for several minutes. As days goes by, the pain increases in frequency and severity and ultimately the skin becomes hot and discolored. If this prolongs then within a few days swelling starts and pain increases.

As the swelling and pain of the big toe increases the patient develops temperature. Temperature is also one of the common gout symptoms. The fever is initially a low grade fever and it subsides within a few days. But as the disease progresses the fever becomes frequent and over the counter medicines will have no response.

With the passage of time these symptoms become severe and treatment has to be sought to get over the disease. Patient feels swelling of the joint and difficulty in moving results. Urination will become very difficult and these often resemble rheumatoid arthritis. Thus seeking the advice of a qualified person becomes necessary. A doctor will diagnose and administer the treatment correctly and the disease will be controlled.

Treatment

Treating gout is not very difficult. Here are a few tips which will help you. But no treatment is ultimate unless you seek the advice of a qualified person in this field.

Tips:

• Wear shoes that fit comfortably and choose a wider one so that there is more room for your toe. • Always whether you sit, sleep or rest hold your toe in an elevated position so that the inflammation decreases on the gout attacked joints. • Pressure should not be exerted on the gout affected are so that further damage is prevented. • Discard intake of ice and also avoid heat as both ice and heat increases the pain due to gout. • Drink plenty of water because water will allow the body to flush extra uric acid. This will help in the treatment of gout.