Gout usually occurs in only one joint at a time. It is often found in the big toe. Along with the big toe, joints that are commonly affected are the lesser toe joints, the ankle, and the knee. Top of Page. Gout is caused by a condition known as hyperuricemia, where there is too much uric acid in the body. The body makes uric acid when it breaks down purines, which are found in your body and the foods you eat. When there is too much uric acid in the body, uric acid crystals monosodium urate can build up in joints, fluids, and tissues within the body.
Hyperuricemia does not always cause gout, and hyperuricemia without gout symptoms does not need to be treated. A medical doctor diagnoses gout by assessing your symptoms and the results of your physical examination, X-rays, and lab tests. Gout can only be diagnosed during a flare when a joint is hot, swollen, and painful and when a lab test finds uric acid crystals in the affected joint.
The disease should be diagnosed and treated by a doctor or a team of doctors who specialize in care of gout patients. This is important because the signs and symptoms of gout are not specific and can look like signs and symptoms of other inflammatory diseases. Doctors who specialize in gout and other forms of arthritis are called rheumatologists. To find a provider near you, visit the database of rheumatologists external icon on the American College of Rheumatology website.
Obesity is a risk factor for gout. Maintaining a healthy weight through a balanced diet and regular exercise can help prevent attacks. A gout flare can be controlled with short-term and long-term medications. Learn what medications are available to help keep your symptoms under…. Studies have explored apple cider vinegar as a potential treatment for diabetes.
Read on to learn what the research says, and more. Chronic gout can lead to more severe problems. It can disrupt sleep, interfere with physical activity, damage tissues, and cause kidney stones…. Hyperuricemia happens if there's too much uric acid in your blood.
It's tied to gout. Learn why it occurs, what the symptoms are, and how to treat it. More than 8 million Americans have gout, a condition that causes painful inflammation in the joints. Learn the symptoms, what causes it, and how it's…. Here are common symptoms of gout along with where and when they typically appear, and what you can do to prevent them from occurring.
Tomatoes may trigger gout. They increase levels of uric acid. We explore the effects of tomatoes if you have gout, alternatives to try, and other…. Gout crystals may form when there is too much uric acid in your bloodstream. Gout and turf toe can both cause similar symptoms, but have very different causes and treatments. Read on to learn more about these similarities and…. Avoiding foods high in purines may help you reduce uric acid levels and minimize your chances of developing gout.
What does that mean for hummus? Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Gout Treatment and Prevention. Medically reviewed by Natalie Butler, R. Traditional treatments Drugs Alternative treatments Prevention What is gout? Gout traditional treatments. Gout drugs. Gout alternative treatments. Gout prevention. Read this next. Blood test. Your doctor may recommend a blood test to measure the levels of uric acid in your blood.
Blood test results can be misleading, though. Some people have high uric acid levels, but never experience gout. And some people have signs and symptoms of gout, but don't have unusual levels of uric acid in their blood. X-ray imaging. Joint X-rays can be helpful to rule out other causes of joint inflammation.
This test uses sound waves to detect urate crystals in joints or in tophi. Dual-energy computerized tomography DECT. This test combines X-ray images taken from many different angles to visualize urate crystals in joints. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Gout. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed Dec. Goldman L, et al. Crystal deposition diseases. In: Goldman-Cecil Medicine. Elsevier; Ferri FF.
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