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VIDEO TESTIMONY
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TESTIMONIALS
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PATIENT REPORTS
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HEALTH PROBLEM
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Overview |
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, otherwise known as or arthropathy is a rheumatic complaint, that usually attacks a single joint at a time. The disease has a preference for the big toe of middle-aged men - it swells, turns red and becomes sore. The soreness is such that just walking through a room can cause severe pain. It is more common in men than women by a factor of 10 to 1. |
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Causes |
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The disease is caused by the deposition of (uric acid) crystals in the joints. is a by-product of the body's metabolism. Normally the uric acid is removed when urinating, but among patients with a predisposition for , the uric acid accumulates in the blood. Among some of these patients, the concentration in the blood is so high that the 'overflows' and settles in the joints and possibly in the skin. |
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Symptoms |
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Prior to the onset of symptoms of , there is usually a latent period of several years in which the concentration of in the blood has gradually increased. This condition is called asymptomatic hyperuricaemia.
Some 95 per cent of the people with this condition never develop .
The first is often at night. Typically, the afflicted person wakes up in the middle of the night with extreme pain near the joint of the big toe (if the pain is in the knee it is called gonagra). The joint is swollen and may turn a shining purple. Even the smallest stimuli produce severe pain, for instance a blanket on the toe. The first attack usually subsides after about a week. About 10 per cent of the victims will never again experience gout whereas others will experience more frequent and longer lasting attacks if they are not treated. If it is not treated, repeated cases of over several years can produce permanent damage in the joint.
If no preventive treatment is undertaken, over time, will collect under the skin. In this case the crystals are seen as small bumps near the joints or on the outer side of the ear called tophi. Occasionally they rupture or ooze out yellowish chalky materials. |
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Risk Factors |
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Gout attacks are brought on by several factors including:
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overconsumption of alcohol, especially.
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some foods with a high content of protein and purines, such as liver, kidneys, sardines, and anchovies.
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being overweight.
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haemorrhages in the canal.
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bodily trauma with extensive tissue destruction.
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major surgery.
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conditions in which there is a high rate of cell turnover, eg leukaemia, lymphoma, psoriasis.
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