What causes gout?
Uric acid is the culprit. This is a breakdown product of DNA and RNA. High levels (generally above 7 or 8) will cause crystals to form in cooler parts of the body (hence the toes and feet). Once these crystals form, the bodies immune system thinks they are foreign and attacks them. The gout is really your immune system attacking the crystals. This causes the pain and swelling. Cutting back on the uric acid level (low purine diet) or using antiinflammatories (indocin seems to be preferred) will decrease the attacks. Losing weight is a great way to get ones uric acid down. Gout – Purine Diet Question: Could you please tell me what a purine diet is? My husband is suffering from gout? in his left wrist I need help. He is taking allopurinol 300 mg now, but he needs help. He has taken aspirin for the pain but found out he shouldn’t take that. Answer: A low purine diet focuses on those foods that are high in DNA and RNA.
Gout is caused by too much uric acid in the blood. Most of the time, having too much uric acid is not harmful. Many people with high levels in their blood never get gout. But when uric acid levels in the blood are too high, the uric acid may form hard crystals in your joints. Your chances of getting gout are higher if you are overweight, drink too much alcohol, or eat too much meat and fish that are high in chemicals called purines. Some medicines, such as water pills (diuretics), can also bring on gout. What are the symptoms? The most common sign of gout is a nighttime attack of swelling, tenderness, redness, and sharp pain in your big toe. You can also get gout attacks in your foot, ankle, or knees. The attacks can last a few days or many weeks before the pain goes away. Another attack may not happen for months or years. See your doctor even if your pain from gout is gone. The buildup of uric acid that led to your gout attack can still harm your joints. How is gout diagnosed? Your do
Gout attacks are caused by deposits of crystallized uric acid in the joint. Uric acid is present in the blood and eliminated in the urine, but in people who have gout, uric acid accumulates and crystallizes in the joints. Uric acid is the result of the breakdown of purines, chemicals that are found naturally in our bodies and in food. Some people develop gout because their kidneys have difficulty eliminating normal amounts of uric acid, while others produce too much uric acid. Gout occurs most commonly in the big toe because uric acid is sensitive to temperature changes. At cooler temperatures, uric acid turns into crystals. Since the toe is the part of the body that is furthest from the heart, it’s also the coolest part of the body—and, thus, the most likely target of gout. However, gout can affect any joint in the body. The tendency to accumulate uric acid is often inherited. Other factors that put a person at risk for developing gout include: high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity,
