What are the Different Gout Symptoms?
Gout is a type of joint disease wherein the joints fail to function properly. Gout sufferers find it hard to perform his/her daily chores, especially when the condition worsens with time. If this condition is ignored, the joints can incur permanent damage. There are different ways to deal with gout but the very first step is to know its symptoms. Read on to know more about the different gout symptoms.
Common Gout Symptoms
According to studies and researches, gout is mainly characterized by swelling and inflammation of joints, wherein the joints flexibility is reduced considerably, making them become stiff. While there are over 200 joints in the body, the gout symptoms are usually experienced on the foot, big toe, and the knee.
Gout Symptoms on the Foot
The symptoms of gout on the foot invade the joints along the toe. Recurrent attacks of foot pain are often related to gout symptoms. Aside from the pain, redness and swelling of the toe is distinctly visible. The big toe joints generally show the onset of the symptoms of gout.
Gout Symptoms on the Toe
Medical studies reported that many gout patients experience inflammation of the big toe joint. Inflamed mass of tissue often protrudes exactly at the back of the joint of the big toe. This restricts the toe movement and flexibility substantially. There are some cases when moving the big toe becomes too difficult. The swelling and pain may subside but may eventually come back.
Gout Symptoms on the Knee
One of the first things gout sufferers experience is the knee pain as the joint in the knee is one of the first joints affected by gout. Aside from knee pain, the joint in this area appears unusually swollen and red. It becomes painful to walk and putting pressure or bending the knee can cause pain radiating down the leg.
Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis and over 5 million people have been diagnosed with it. A severe gout attack is considered one of the most painful medical conditions a person can experience.
The number one cause of gout is hyperuricemia which is high uric acid levels in the blood. Your joints may be adversely affected by hyperuricemia even when you are not experiencing a gout attack. Stress, some other illness or certain medications may also trigger a gout flare up.
General Gout Symptoms:
- Pain – sudden and severe
- Inflammation
- Burning
- Tenderness
- Redness
Though some gout attacks happen suddenly, some people get mild gout symptoms at first. They will experience tenderness in the heel, soreness in the ankle or painful twinges in the big toe before the onset of a full gout flare up.
Gout pain usually gets better after 24 hours with or without treatment. The symptoms will usually subside within 3 – 10 days. Because attacks may become more severe over time and last longer, it’s important to see a health care provider for diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible.
Gout Symptoms for older people can be different than younger people. They can develop gout in their hips, spine or upper body joints. The elderly are also more susceptible to develop tophi which are uric acid crystal deposits in the tissues surrounding the joint. Remember, see your health care provider as soon as possible if you suspect you have gout.
There you go – the different gout symptoms gout sufferers experience. Luckily, there are ways to treat gout. There are also ways to manage gout symptoms. Some of the ways include following an effective gout diet, which means avoiding or minimizing intake or consumption of purine-rich foods. Aside from avoiding certain foods that can trigger gout, doctors may also prescribe medications to reduce swelling and inflammation. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and corticosterous are usually prescribed to alleviate the swelling and pain of the joints as well as the other gout symptoms.