Why Is Gout Considered One Of The Most Common Kinds Of Inflammatory Arthritis?
It comes out of nowhere, it seems. Your big toe might suddenly hurt … a lot. Or it might be another joint, but it’s usually the big toe. The area might be red or tender. Chances are good that it is gout. This happens when uric acid builds up in a crystallized form in your joints. There are a variety of reasons that it can happen.
You might be asking yourself: Why Is gout considered one of the most common kinds of inflammatory arthritis? One of Levittown’s best podiatrists is here to help answer that question … and any others that you might have.
How To Identify Gout Symptoms
Are Feet The Most Frequently Affected Area By Gout?
Yes, feet do tend to be the area affected the most by gout. There is a joint right at the base of your big toe. That is the one that usually gets affected and shows the symptoms. There are other areas that might hurt, like the wrist, fingers or elbows. But chances are good that it will be your feet that you have the symptoms occur.
How Can You Prevent A Gout Attack?
While there is no surefire way to completely prevent a gout attack, you can do things like watching how much alcohol you drink or eliminating it. Proper hydration is important, so drink a lot of water. If you have sleep apnea, it can be beneficial to have it treated. If you know that you get gout if you have certain foods - like red or organ meats or seafood, then you should avoid those, since they have an element in them called purines, which can be linked to gout. Certain medications can also trigger it, so talk to your doctor about the possible side effects.
Are Young People At Risk Of Getting Gout?
While people who are in the age range of 30-50 tend to get it, young people could get it if they eat food that can trigger it or drink too much alcohol regularly or if they are overweight. Then there is the chance that it could occur. But it is rarer for that to happen than to those who are in the age range. While it can happen to any race, Pacific Islanders and African-Americans are more prone to getting it. Organ transplant recipients can be more at risk and also those who are exposed to higher concentrations of lead may get it.
Is Gout More Prevalent In Men Than In Women?
Yes, men tend to get gout more often than women, but females will likely get it after they finish menopause. Anyone, either male or female, who has anything like heart or kidney disease, high blood pressure, hypothyroidism, psoriasis, anemia, or some types of cancer can get gout. There are certain medications that can increase the risk of getting gout, like diuretics or beta blockers. This medicine may be important for overall health and gout is just something that they need to monitor.
Can Genetic Factors Increase The Chances Of Getting Gout?
As previously mentioned, Pacific Islanders and African-Americans can have a higher risk of getting gout. If you have someone in your family, especially a relative, you may have a predisposition to getting gout yourself. This is not a guarantee, though, since there are other factors that come in to play, like the environment that you live in and how you take care of yourself.
How Is America Dealing With Gout?
This is becoming more and more of an issue as more Americans are getting heavier. They also tend to not eat well and lead sedentary lifestyles. Shedding some pounds can help as well as drinking a lot more water as opposed to sugary sodas and alcohol. It is important to reverse a lot of bad trends.
Gout can be managed and you can resume the quality of life that you had before. You just need to be aware of what to do when the symptoms flare up and what modifications you need to make to your lifestyle. Once you know that then you will find that things will be easier as time goes on.
Visit Levittown's Leading Podiatrist For Gout Treatment
Are you suffering from gout? Come visit Levittown's leading podiatrist for gout treatment. Dr. John J. Hickey will be able to help you with your issue and he will make you feel much better soon. Don’t hesitate to come see him at Levittown Podiatry - give him a call today to make an appointment: 516-735-4545.
Phone: (516) 735-4545