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5 Affordable and Proven Home Remedies For Gout

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 09 May 2013 01:00:00 +0000

Because of the pain that you experience from gout, you would want to know if there is anything that could help manage or relieve the pain brought about by gout. Some of these home remedies for gout could just be lying around in your kitchen cabinet or could be in your backyard for years. Let us check and learn.

1) Water

Water is considered to be the most affordable and a widely available remedy for gout. When excess uric acid is not flushed from the body, it will be accumulated in the joints which would form uric acid crystals and eventually would start the inflammation and pain. Water flushes the excess uric acid and prevents it from building up in the joints or other organs in the body. An intake of at least 8-10 glasses a day would be good to keep yourself hydrated.

2) High fiber food

A high fiber diet is good to have when you have gout as it also helps broom out or flush out the uric acid out of your body. Fruits and vegetables are fiber rich foods that are also good sources of antioxidants as well as Vitamin C which will help boost your immune system for your overall wellness.

Fruits like cherries and berries are considered to be an effective remedy for gout. It lowers the level of uric acid in the blood. They have a compound called Anthocyanin which may possess analgesic properties and anti-in?ammatory effect that could help relieve gout.

3) Potassium supplements

Potassium supplements are good for gout, but should be taken moderately and monitored medically to avoid heart problems. Potassium is a good urine alkalizer which aids in the flushing of excess uric acid in the kidney out of the body. Good sources of potassium in people with gout are bananas and potatoes, especially sweet potatoes.

4) Add baking soda on your fluids

Baking soda is a well-known alkalizing agent. Mixing ½ teaspoon of baking soda in 8oz of water will help lower uric acid level and reduce the pain caused by gout. The baking soda mixture is taken four times a day. But take note that baking soda can raise blood pressure. You might want to refer to your doctor before starting this home remedy.

5) Low impact exercise

Low impact exercises should be done by people with gout. They are easy and wouldn’t strain the joints that can add up to the sometimes-unbearable pain. Tai chi, yoga and a bit of brisk walking can be helpful. These exercises would not just reduce and maintain an ideal body weight but they also promote blood and oxygen circulation and keep a healthy immune system.

There might be other home remedies for gout that are not mentioned here, but these are so far the most common, effective and proven. Moreover, they are readily available, doable and affordable. All you have to do is learn and practice living that much needed lifestyle. And if it’s not too much of a burden, try to change some of your old habits. Some of them may actually be causing your unwanted chronic pain.

3 Groups Of Foods To Avoid With Gout

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 05 May 2013 01:30:00 +0000

There are foods to avoid with gout and there are foods that are good for those who suffer gout. If you’re one of those who are in constant search on what food to avoid gout attacks, then pay particular attention to these 3 key food elements that are commonly seen in one’s dining table.

1. Meats that are rich in purine

Purines are substances found naturally in almost every cell of a body. Foods high in protein such as kidney, yeast, sardines are also high in purines. But why should you limit foods that are high in purine?

When cells get recycled, it breaks down the purine along with it. And when purines are entirely broken down, uric acid is formed. Though uric acids are good for our body as they are good antioxidants, high levels of such could be detrimental. When your kidney could hardly keep up in getting rid of them, it could eventually result to gathering of uric acid in different parts of the body. That’s when the problems occur. Too much cell breakdown can also lead to building up of uric acid. When uric acid starts to build up, uric acid crystals would start to form which can directly hit the joints, kidneys, and other organs. The build-up is simply referred to as “gout”. In some cases, inflammation of joints such as the big toe, fingers, elbows and the like can be experienced. That’s primarily the reason why you should limit the intake of foods high in purine.

Meats rich in purine that need to be avoided are: Lobster, Shellfish, Crab, Oysters, Tuna, Codfish, Carp, Ham, Bacon, Beef, Chicken, Duck, Goose, Lamb, Turkey and animal internal organs (brain, intestines, kidney, liver, and the lungs).

2. Alcoholic beverages

There are a couple of reasons why alcohol consumption can lead to gout.

1) Alcohol is rich in purine. Beer approximately contains 100mg uric acid/100g and less.

2) Alcohol slows down the removal of excess uric acid from the body which could build up and form uric acid crystals in the joints or in the kidney.

3. Foods with high fructose

Fructose or fruit sugar found in many plants is a simple form of sugar that cannot be further broken down to simpler sugar through hydrolysis. It goes through the bloodstream directly during digestion.

In a research made from observing more than 50,000 health specialists, there was an increase of chances of having gout from an increase consumption of fructose in their diet. It was observed that two cans of sodas a day have almost doubled the risk of gout, just like two glasses or cups of fruit juice. Fructose most probably gives people a greater risk of having gout than that of alcohol.

There may be a degree of difficulty in avoiding or minimizing the consumption of the diet you are used to having, but following what is advised especially on your diet will be of great help in combating the condition called gout. Complications brought about by gout are something you wouldn’t want to have. Since the beverages and foods to avoid are accessible by men (and women) with gout online or offline, the best thing one with gout can do to reduce the chances of its recurrence and gout’s further complications is to avoid or take them very moderately.

The Do’s And Don’ts Of Diet For Gout

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 01 May 2013 01:30:00 +0000

A gout attack is just one of the painful experiences you would hate to encounter again and again. But have you ever wondered if one of the reasons that might have caused your gout attack is your unhealthy diet? What you eat matters when it comes to gout. It has a great impact that could lead you to another gout attack and/or further gout complications. Your doctor might have told you to start changing your diet, and might have told you to restrict some types of food. Here are some do’s and don’ts of diet for gout:

Diet Do’s for gout

• Choose foods that are more on complex carbohydrates because they will promote the feeling of fullness which can help prevent you from eating too much, thus maintaining an ideal weight. Foods like sweet potatoes, cereals, pasta, and rice (brown or red rice as better as they are high in fiber but lesser in carb).

• Essential fatty acids help ease the symptoms of gout because of its properties which can reduce the inflammation. Foods that are rich in fatty acids are: soy oils, linseed, walnuts, sunflower seeds and green leafy vegetables.

• Eating foods high in brome lain, which may control the synthesis of inflammatory substances in the body that can make the symptoms of gout worse, and to decrease pain associated with gout. One good source of brome lain is pineapple.

• Eat foods that are rich in Vitamin C. Vitamin C will help promote the excretion of uric acid from the body. Red cabbages, red bell peppers, oranges, potatoes are good examples of Vitamin C.

• Eat low fat dairy products. A study have found that consumption of low fat dairy protect may protect you against gout.

• Eat alternative meat choices like tofu and legumes. Although legumes are soybean-made, they are better alternatives than meat.

• Drinking plenty of water (8 glasses per day). This helps to lessen the concentration of uric acid by flushing them out of the body.

Diet Don’ts for gout

• Eating foods that are rich in purine. Foods high in purine are foods mostly high in proteins. Purines when broken down in the body will form uric acids. Foods like animal organ meats (brains, intestine or liver), beef, pork, and seafood; consumption of these foods should be limited or eaten in small quantity.

• Drinking alcoholic beverages. Alcohol should be avoided for people with gout for the following reasons:

1) Alcohol is rich in purine. Beer approximately contains 100mg uric acid/100g and less.
2) Alcohol slows down the removal of excess uric acid from the body which could buildup and form urate crystals in the joints or in the kidney.

• Eating foods with high-fructose. Fructose is known to increase uric acid level in the body. It is best to avoid beverages with high-fructose, such as juice drinks and soft drinks.

• Eating in large quantity. You may want to cut back on your eating because obesity is also linked to gout. Try to reach and maintain your ideal body weight gradually, because losing weight rapidly can promote a gout attack.

The diet for gout mainly tells us to promote elimination of uric acid in our body and to reduce its production. We need to limit our calorie intake followed by a daily exercise to maintain an ideal weight and to improve our health and wellness. We must keep in mind that the diet alone won't cure gout, but it will help reduce multiple and painful attacks.

Helpful Facts About Cherry Juice For Gout

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 01:30:00 +0000

Cherry juice for gout is widely popular as a natural remedy. There are a variety of reasons why cherry juice is widely recommended to people with gout.

Gout, also referred to as Gouty arthritis, is a kind of arthritis characterized by a sudden painful attack, redness and inflammation of the joints. It occurs when uric acid accumulates in the blood and tissues, and then forms a small, ragged, needle-shaped crystal in a joint. The presence of uric acid crystals then causes an intense inflammatory response (a crucial protective response by the body's system to defend itself injury or diseases) that brings about a painful condition.

People often talk about gout and cherry juice together, because cherry juice best manages gout. So what makes it a good remedy for gout ? A good natural gout remedy helps:

(1) reduce the uric acid level in the body, which is the main cause of gout (2) stops or interferes in the inflammation process; and/or (3) relieves the pain caused by the inflammation. All these effects are present in cherry juices. It has been identified and observed in research and in most testimonies.

So what are in cherry juice that gives people those effects? What are the benefits of cherry juice?

Cherries are loaded with antioxidants that are helpful in clearing out the impurities present in the joints. It also has anthocyanin, which is responsible for making all berries dark. Anthocyanin possesses anti-inflammatory effect, blocks the enzyme responsible for joint or tissue inflammations thus prevents the swelling of the joints when it reacts to the presence of uric acid crystals deposited in the joints; and since inflammation is being blocked by anthocyanin, pain attacks are also prevented. Recent research also proved that cherries help minimize the amount of uric acid in the body.

Why should you use cherry juice or other natural remedy for treating gout?

Gout is a condition that takes long term management, which also depends on how early or late it was detected. There are a lot of medicines or drugs that work in relieving the pain, reduce inflammation and decrease uric acid levels in the body. But since treating gout is a long term management, you will also be exposed to their side effects much longer. Alternative remedies like cherry juice would less likely expose you to side effects even with long term use.

What are the other benefits you will get from cherry juice?

Cherry juices aren’t just good for combating against gout. It also minimizes your risk of having other various diseases. Since cherries are loaded with antioxidants, they would help stop toxins from doing any damage in the body. Toxins, like free radicals, cause most diseases. They bind with the electrons that are supposed to be bounded to our cells. This would then make our cells weaker and then gets risked to muscle damage or attacks from foreign substances or carcinogens.

Gout is a painful experience you wouldn’t want to encounter over and over. Seeking for a remedy that could help you combat the condition while having you less exposed to side effects after long term use is not hard. Cherry juice is an effective and easy-to-find natural remedy for gout. If you’re one of the millions of individuals suffering from such, try to at least find the source of Cherry juice in your locality that will combat your gout.

The Not-So-Desirable Side Effects of Colchicine

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 01:30:00 +0000

Colchicine is a drug used for gout attacks, as it reduces the inflammation brought by the presence of uric acid crystals that are formed in the joints but just like any other drug, there are known side effects of Colchicine.

Colchicine, when used to patients with gout, interrupts the uric acid crystal deposition cycle in joint tissues, the cycle which would lead to an inflammatory response and cause an acute gout attack. Colchicine decreases the movement toward or away from a chemical stimulus and ingestion of foreign bodies which stops the formation and release of a chemotactic glycoprotein that is produced during the ingestion of urate crystals.

However, the anti-inflammatory effect of colchicine also comes with undesirable effects. The following may or may not occur to each individual. The most common side effects of colchicine to your body are:

Mild stomach pain
Mild nausea or vomiting or
Mild diarrhea

Allergic reactions may also occur that would need immediate medical attention:

Difficulty in breathing

Rashes

Swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat

You need to call your doctor once the following serious side effects would occur:

Severe vomiting or diarrhea

Muscle pain or weakness

Unusual bruising or bleeding

Numbness/tingling in your fingers or toes

Presence of any signs of infection (fever, chills, body aches)

Pale or gray appearance of your lips, tongue, or hands

Urinating less than the usual (or not at all).

Your doctor will definitely explain to you the pros and cons of using colchicine. As long as the medicine’s benefits far outweigh its side effects, your doctor will most likely continue to prescribe you such medication. Other side effects of colchicine that have occurred to some patients during their long-term therapy are:

* Dermatologic : Hives and hair loss

* Gastrointestinal tract : Loss of appetite, electrolyte disturbance, paralytic ileus and pancreatitis; presence of excess fat in feces and prevention of an enzymic process to decrease the rate of the enzymic reaction have also been reported in patients on long-term colchicine use.

* Respiratory : Adult respiratory distress syndrome.

* Hematologic : Thrombocytopenia (an abnormal decrease in the number of platelets in circulatory blood), pancytopenia (an abnormal deficiency in all blood cells: red blood cells and white blood cells and platelets), leukopenia (an abnormally low number of white blood cells in the circulating blood), agranulocytosis (a sharp drop in circulating granular white blood cells), bone marrow failure, bone marrow depression, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and aplastic anemia.

* Musculoskeletal : myopathy (disease of muscle or muscle tissue) , neuropathy (disease or abnormality of the nervous system) , and paralysis.

* Nervous system : Colchicine-induced neuromyopathy.

* Genitourinary : May affect the production of sperm cells for males.

* Renal : Acute renal failure and rapid progressive glomerulonephritis in rare cases.

In every medicine, undesirable effects always come along with the desirable effects, but not all unwanted effects would necessarily occur to all individuals. It is important that you discuss your medical concerns with your doctor so he can openly discuss the possible colchicine side effects to your body. After all, it is still best to be personally advised by a known physician.

Colchicine For Gout Facts That Can Save You and You Loved Ones

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 01:30:00 +0000

Colchicine is an alkaloid (a complex organic compound that contains nitrogen and have physiological effects on animals, including humans.) derived from the dried seeds of Colchicum autumnale, also known as the autumn crocus or meadow saffron.

Colchicine is used to treat gout attacks. It suppresses or reduces the inflammation brought about by the presence of uric acid crystals that are formed in the joints. Because of this mechanism, it stops the severe pain, redness and swelling caused by inflammation. Colchicine is not a painkiller, but it reduces the pain caused by gout.

Colchicine is used for treatment of Familial Mediterranean Fever on long-term basis to prevent fever and recurrent polyserositis. Colchicine is effective in preventing the amyloidosis in this condition. It is also used in Behcet's disease. Colchicine has been shown to be effective in the treatment of articular, cutaneous and mucosal symptoms as well as in the treatment of scleroderma and sarcoidosis.

What you need to tell and ask your doctor before taking the drug

Tell your doctor if you had a past allergic reaction encountered with colchicines
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant as Down's syndrome and spontaneous abortion have been reported when colchicine is taken during pregnancy.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist of your medical history, especially kidney and liver problems because of possible fatal interactions that may occur.
Ask your doctor about how soon you can repeat treatment with colchicine in case you have another gout attack.
Tell your doctor if you’re taking drugs for familial Mediterranean fever, Behcet's disease, scleroderma and sarcoidosis and drugs such as itraconazole, ketoconazole, cyclosporine, ritonavir, clarithromycin, erythromycin, telithromycin, and verapamil. They may depress colchicine’s effect, affect the elimination of colchicine from your body or increase the risk of having serious side effects.

Proper administration and precautions of colchicine:

Take this medication by mouth with or without food, exactly as directed by your doctor.
This medication works best if you take it at the first sign of an attack.
Taking more than the recommended dose may not increase this drug's effectiveness but may increase your risk of side effects.
If you are taking colchicine regularly and have missed a dose, you can take it as soon as you remember. But if it is nearing the next dose, you can skip the missed dosage and just go back to the usual dosing schedule. Do not double the dosage to catch up the missed dose.

When to seek medical attention:

You need to stop taking colchicine and immediately seek medical attention when one or more of the following occurs:

Allergic reactions (hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat)
severe vomiting or diarrhea
muscle pain or weakness
unusual bruising or bleeding
numbness/tingling in your fingers or toes
presence of any signs of infection

What to do in case of over-dosage:

Patients with colchicine overdose should always be admitted as soon as possible.
Over dosage of colchicine may induce similar toxicity to that seen in acute poisoning which are: gastrointestinal symptoms (vomiting, diarrhoea), agranulocytosis, aplastic anaemia, myopathy

Food and beverages you need to avoid while taking colchicine

Avoid eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice while being treated with this medication unless your doctor instructs you otherwise. Grapefruit can increase the amount of certain medications in your bloodstream.
Avoid drinking alcohol while taking colchicine, because it decreases its effectivity.

Taking drugs like colchicine for gout or any drugs for other condition needs special precautions and considerations. The dosage for every drug is based on your medical condition and your response to the treatment. It is not advisable to take colchicine or any other drug without visiting your doctor. It is best to tell your doctor everything about your condition so you will be given the right drug and the right dosage.

5 Good Foods For Gout

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 01:30:00 +0000

There are good foods for gout and there are those that need to be strictly avoided. If you’re consistently high in uric acid, you might want to know further on the former. Even if you consider yourself relatively fit, you can still have gout. So whether you’re into a South Beach diet, Paleo diet or any other diet to meet your weight loss or fitness goal, you must still be in an inquisitive mode on what kind of good foods are there for gout.

Here are 5 good foods for gout that you can actually experiment with.

1. Complex carbohydrates

Carbohydrates help process fats into carbon dioxide in the body. If there’s an inadequate supply of carbohydrates, the fats will not break down completely and would instead produce ketones. Once there is an over production of ketones, the kidney will have a hard time excreting excess uric acid out of the body. There will be some sort of competition for transport between ketones and uric acid. That means if you have less amount of carbohydrates in your diet, you will have a higher risk of having gout.

There are two types of carbohydrates: The simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. The simple carbohydrates have small nutritional value, so its consumption should be limited. Complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, are fibrous and abundant with vitamins and minerals, thus having greater nutritional value than that of simple carbohydrates. This type of carbohydrate doesn’t raise the blood sugar levels as quickly as simple carbohydrates do because they are digested much longer.

Therefore, having a diet with Complex carbohydrates is more advisable for people who have gout. It also promotes the feeling of fullness which can help you prevent from over eating. Try sweet potato. It is definitely one of the known good foods for gout.

2. Essential fatty acids

Essential fatty acids are substances that our body needs but cannot produce on its own. These are needed essentially in the body’s biological processes, not just acting as fuel. We can only get them from food supplements. Studies show that essential fatty acids may significantly reduce the inflammation which causes most gout attacks. Walnut, canola or soya oil, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, fish and shellfish are good sources of essential fatty acids.

3. Bromelain

Bromelain can greatly help you ease painful gout attacks. It can even assist in avoiding future attacks. Bromelain is an enzyme that is a property of pineapples. It helps reduce the swelling and helps to take away your pain. But there is not enough of this powerful enzyme in pineapples to help you use this method alone to get rid of gout. You would need to use other supplements to manage your gout attack.

4. Vitamin C

Vitamin C helps flush out excess uric acid. Take note though that both vitamin C and uric acid are forms of acids. Your urine is likely to become more acidic and can increase your risk of kidney stones because of higher tendency to form crystals in an acidic solution. Take vitamin C daily whether from supplements or from fruits and vegetables, but always keep in mind to take them in moderation. Having a cup of pineapple (about 165 grams) will give you 135% Daily Value of Vitamin C nutrient and is also a good source of Bromelain. Just be mindful that your body needs other sources of nutrients as well. Having a day of full of pineapple will obviously give you more harm than good especially if you have known hyperacidity problems.

5. Low fat dairy products

Low fat dairy products have a protective effect in gout. Low-fat dairy products are rich sources of protein, calcium and vitamin D. According to a research they found a positive correlation between consumption of dairy products and reduced gout symptoms. A regular consumption of low-fat yogurt or a hot or a cold cereal with skim or low-fat milk would be good for your body.

Complex carbohydrates, Essential fatty acids, Vitamin C, Bromelain and Low Fat Dairy products are just some of the good foods for gout. If you’re already incorporating some, if not many of these foods for in your diet, then keep it up. Otherwise, you have to start doing it gradually. Making some French fries out of sweet potato and canola oil and pairing it with a low-fat Yogurt drink and some cups of pineapple fruit in a day is actually a healthy experiment. When in doubt though, simply ask your physician’s medical advice.

What To Do When Gout Attacks Using 3 Natural Remedies

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 03:43:00 +0000

This may be the same question that millions may also be asking endlessly especially when in pain – what to do when gout attacks? A gout attack is one horrifying experience that people who have it wouldn’t want to experience ever again. The intensity of pain as described by some is similar to child birth. That’s why immediate pain relief is being cried for by all patients while prevention is the next focus.

Gout occurs when there is accumulation of uric acid crystals in the joints. Uric acid is the result of the natural metabolism of the body. Normally, our body neutralizes and eliminates them through urine. But when the elimination process is being interfered by reasons of heredity, diet, and lifestyle, this will result to a buildup of uric acids in the body which could lead to a gout attack.

Initially people would seek relief from gout attack. Gout attacks when you least expect it. Most people get awakened at night from the pain brought about by gout. So what do you do naturally when gout attacks ? The following are some immediate and effective home remedies to help you relieve from pain:

* Ice and warm water application

Ice and hot water are always available in almost all households. Applying ice on affected area for 10 minutes helps reduce the excruciating pain you experience. Note that ice can promote crystallization, so you might want to alternately apply warm water on the affected area. Applying warm water helps promote muscle relaxation, blood flow as well as pain relief on the joints.

* Cayenne pepper with Apple cider vinegar

Cayenne pepper paste is one popular pain reliever because it helps divert your attention from the pain caused by gout. It produces a warm effect when applied topically on the affected area. To make a cayenne pepper paste: just mix ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper and ½ cup of apple cider vinegar (warm). Put a small amount of paste mixture on a clean cloth and place it around the affected area. You can reapply the mixture as necessary.

* Ginger root

Another effective pain relieving remedy is ginger root. Application of ginger root paste on the affected area had already helped thousands of gout patients. You could also soak the affected area with a small amount of warm water mixed with 1/3 cup of ground ginger for 30 minutes. Rinse thereafter. This will greatly help in reducing the pain brought by gout. Once relieved from the pain, re-experiencing it is the next thing that should be stopped. Having suffered from a gout attack makes you most likely to suffer it again. So how do you stop gout from reoccurring? The following are some ways to help you from preventing another gout attack.

* Medicines

Medicines for gout aim to reduce the pain and the uric acid level in the body, which is the main cause of gout, to stop it from recurring. Also, managing gout is a long term therapy, which means if you depend on the medicine alone to manage your gout, you will be highly risked to exposure to its long term side effects. Therefore, it is not advisable to depend on medicine alone. You also need to do a few changes on your diet and lifestyle.

* Avoiding foods and beverages that has high in purine content

Uric acids are also formed from the breakdown of purine. And when you get too much uric acid that your body can not flush it out, it will form uric acid crystals in your joints and other organs. Avoiding foods and beverages that have high purine content would lessen your risk of having uric acid build up in your body.

* Drink plenty of water

Drinking 8-10 glasses of water a day helps keep you off from another gout attack. As water helps eliminate and flush out excess uric acid from the body.

* Cherries

Cherries are widely talked about to lessen the impact of gout. They are known to be one of the top natural remedies for gout. Eating at least 10-20 cherries a day can help you from the reoccurrence of gout attack since it reduces the uric acid level in the body.

* Exercise

Low impact exercises are advisable for those having gout because they are easy and wouldn’t strain the joints. Exercise such as tai chi and yoga are advisable. These exercises would not just reduce and maintain an ideal body weight but it will also promote blood and oxygen circulation and it keeps a healthy immune system. Exercise helps maintain a good overall wellness.

So what do you do when gout attacks? If any of those natural remedies won’t work for whatever reason, simply take medication to stop the pain. There may be levels of pains, thus for those that are really, really bad, medications must be prescribed by your doctor. Think of prevention thereafter.

What Causes Gout and Who Are Mostly At Risk?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 21:54:00 +0000

What causes gout and who are at risks of having one are two of the most common questions people with gout ask. Most often than not, they are concerned of how they were able to have been inflicted with such disease – hereditary, lifestyle or otherwise. Further knowledge of such can speed up the treatment or prevent it from happening again.

So what causes gout?

Uric acids are normally formed in the body from the breakdown of cells and proteins, and are released in the bloodstream. They normally don't stay in the body for too long as they are dissolved in the blood and are then flushed out by the kidney. When there is too much uric acid in the blood because the kidney could hardly flush them out, uric acid crystals may be collected in the joints, skin, soft tissues or in the kidney itself. The collection of uric acid crystals in the joints may then cause gout.

The following may cause gout:

1. Genetics – Your genes would play a great role in maintaining the level of uric acids and other hormones and electrolytes in your body. Your genes would affect the over-production and excretion of uric acid out of the body. According to eMedicineHealth:

* If your parents have gout, you may have a 20% chance of developing it

* British people are five times more likely to develop gout.

* American blacks, but not African blacks, are more likely to have gout than other populations

2. Gender - Uric acid levels increase at puberty in men and at menopause in women. In women, the estrogen plays a big role in keeping uric acid levels down. So when women hit menopause, their estrogen levels will decrease thus increasing their uric acid levels.

3. Food, beverage and drug intake - Beverages such as tea, coffee, cocoa, and especially alcohol in any form lead to extra water loss from the body, which can cause an attack. Certain high-protein foods can make the body produce too much uric acid. Some medications can affect the kidneys' ability to get rid of uric acid out of the body and some can also cause elevated uric acid levels in the blood which can lead to gout.

4. Presence of certain diseases like leukemia, lymphomas and hemoglobin disorders can lead to excessive production of uric acid in the body.

Who are at risk of having gout ?

People who are highly at risk of having gout are the :

1. Overweight - Being overweight can lead to excess uric acid production. Most overweight individuals don’t exercise, thus they don’t drink water as much as fit people do. Therefore, they don’t flush out the acid as much as they should. In fact, they love to eat unhealthy foods and are less likely to do physical activities that can intensify their metabolism which can then increase their intake of water.

2. Drinking too much alcohol - alcohol in any form lead to extra water loss from the body and can cause hyperuricemia.

3. Eating too much meat and fish – Meats and fish are purine-rich foods. When purines have been broken down completely they will form Uric acid. Eating too much purine-rich foods will then increase the level of uric acid in your body.

4. Have had trauma – When there is trauma in the body, there is breakdown of cells. Breakdown of cells will form uric acid. The bigger the trauma, the more cells are broken down, thus increase the level of uric acid in the body.

5. Have abnormal kidney function – The abnormal kidney function will result to low urine output, can increase the risk of developing gout. Abnormality in the kidney function will affect in flushing out of the uric acid from the body.

6. Taking Certain Medications – Certain Medications such as thiazide diuretics, low-dose and salicylates ,cyclosporine, Niacin, Levodopa, Aminophylline, Medications to treat tuberculosis and high blood can increase uric acid level in the body.

Your genes, gender, medicinal intake and present disease condition can greatly affect your uric acid level in the body which causes gout. Knowing the cause and who are at risk of having gout will help warn us to be more vigilant with our body. Keep a tight watch of your lifestyle so as to avoid further damages and complications emerging from gout.

What Is Gout?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 19:56:00 +0000

There are a lot of people who often ask what gout is. There are some who wrongly identify gout and mistaken it for something else. But what is gout? How does it differ with other types of arthritis and arthritis-like conditions? Gout, also referred to as Gouty arthritis, is a kind of arthritis characterized by a sudden painful attack, redness and inflammation of the joints. It occurs when uric acid accumulates in the blood and tissues and then forms a small, ragged, needle-shaped crystal in a joint. The presence of uric acid crystals then causes an intense inflammatory response (a crucial protective response by the body's system to defend itself from injury or diseases) that brings about a painful condition.

What are the two types of gout?

There are 2 types of gout which are determined by its source. The two types are:

1) Idiopathic gout : It is inherited gout wherein the body over-produce or has reduced excretion of uric acid by the kidneys. It is not a result of any intake of substances.

2) Secondary gout : Is a type of gout caused by intake of products or substances like some cancer drugs, diuretics and foods that are high in uric acids.

What are the stages of gout?

It is important to know the stage of gout in order to determine which treatment to use for each. The following are the stages of gout:

Stage 1 - Asymptomatic Hyperuricemia – In this stage, a person with high level of uric acid in the body doesn’t feel any pain. The high level of uric acid is considered as harmless, but it is important to control the uric acid in order to stop the progression.

Stage2 - Acute Gout/Gout flare – In this stage, most of the attacks are first felt, because the uric acids have started to crystallize in the joints which lead to swelling of the joints and excruciating pain. This gout attack may awaken someone at night by the intense pain and swelling in the joint. The doctor will most likely recommend patients to take medications to manage the pain.

Stage3 - Intercritical Gout – This is the gap between gout attacks. The person with gout usually does not feel any pain in this stage. Though a person may not experience any pain, the uric acid crystal is still present in the joints. In this stage, it is important for uric acid to be monitored and kept to an acceptable level.

Stage4 - Chronic Tophaceous Gout - The stage of chronic arthritis. It is when uric acid crystal deposits have hardened (called “tophi”) and formed in joints causing joint inflammation and deformities.

How do you differentiate gout with other arthritis and arthritis like conditions?

There are more than 100 different types of arthritis. Oftentimes, people interchange these types. The three most common arthritis are Gout, Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis is a condition involving the cartilage of the joint. It occurs when a bone thickens to fix for the deterioration of the normally smooth cartilage making it rough with age. It commonly involves the knees, fingers and hips.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune and long lasting disease. It is a result of the body's own immune system mistakenly attacking the healthy organs of the body and the cartridge in the joints causing the joint lining to inflame. This can occur at any age, but is more common in the middle age. Infection, genes, and hormone changes may be linked to the disease

Another condition that is often wrongly identified as gout is Pseudogout.

Pseudogout (calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease) is a condition similar to gout because the two conditions are caused by the formation of crystal in the joint/s, but they differ in the type of crystals formed. Gout is caused by uric acid crystal formation while pseudogout is caused by calcium pyrophosphate crystal formation. In this condition your risk of having it increases with your age.

Most people have easily mistaken Gout with other types of arthritis mainly because they all are pain involving the joints in the body.So if you’re still wondering what gout is, simply go back to these facts. Sometimes it’s much better to be over-informed than to have none at all.