Gratitude
What is gout?
Gout is a type of joint inflammation caused by a metabolic disorder that causes painful spasms in the affected joints. It most commonly occurs in the joints of the big toe of the foot, but can also occur in the joints of the ankle, knee, elbow, wrist and hand. It affects both men and women and can occur from a young age.
The causes of gout
For gout, the main triggers in lifestyle, including the lies in nutrition. The disease is caused by high levels of uric acid, also known as purine, accumulated in the joints. Purine is an organic compound found in many foods, with high levels in meats, animal proteins and fish, but also in some vegetables, mushrooms and legumes. This is why the old saying goes that gout is a disease of the rich. Excessive consumption of foods high in purines is particularly unhealthy and can lead to obesity and gout.
Normally, uric acid is secreted and excreted by our kidneys. For gout however, the purine accumulates in the blood and precipitates as needle-like crystals in one or more joints. These uric acid crystals cause inflammation and pain.
In rarer cases, but you may find that the underlying cause of the problem is an autoimmune disease or bacterial infection. Determining the origin of the disease rheumatologist specialist who will make an accurate diagnosis based on a thorough examination and proposes treatment accordingly.
Symptoms of gout
The gout disease is usually caused by the gout attack draws attention to. This is severe joint pain which often involves occurs at night and even 5-7 days can take up to. Besides the pain the affected joint becomes red, swollen and particularly sensitive to pressure, and even during a gout attack fever may also occur. The attack may go away without a trace after 5-7 days, either on its own or with painkillers, but it can return at any time if left untreated. Repeated attacks can cause severe joint damage and deformity, in addition to pain and loss of quality of life, so it is worthwhile to Rheumatologist specialist to visit.
To read more about the symptoms and psychological causes of the disease, click here!
When should you see a specialist?
Contact us as soon as possible a specialist rheumatologist, if you experience the following symptoms:
- Severe joint pain (toe, ankle, knee, elbow, wrist, fingers)
- Swelling develops in the affected area, the skin becomes red, warm and tight, sensitive to touch and pressure.
- If your symptoms are accompanied by fever, chills, weakness (not always the case)
- If you have no complaints but your blood count is high in uric acid.
Risks of chronic gout
Gout becomes chronic if it is not treated. Many people ignore the seizures, confuse them with other arthritis conditions, and after a few days of pain relief, do not consult a specialist. However, precipitated uric acid crystals can also be found in asymptomatic periods are in the joints, constantly being damaged them, and kept permanently inflamed the whole organisation. Untreated gout can result in, for example kidney stones, kidney failure, diabetes, and also increases the risk of cardiovascular problems and certain liver diseases. In the long term, uric acid crystals are the deformation of joints which is not only an aesthetic problem: deformities can also cause cause movement restriction, so they are also a barrier in everyday life.
The horror of kidney stones
About a fifth of people with gout uric acid kidney stones develops, which can block the urinary tract. Not only does this cause hellish pain, but if left untreated it can lead to inflammation and kidney damage.
In patients with gout who also have other kidney-damaging conditions, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, the progressive deterioration of kidney function reduces uric acid excretion, causing joint damage to get progressively worse.
Can gout be prevented?
High uric acid levels are definitely a warning sign that it is worth change your lifestyle and prevent the development of the disease. In addition, the genetic predisposition should also be taken into account, as people with a family history of gout are more likely to suffer from the same disease. The first method of prevention is good nutrition. In this case, it is a matter of following a purine-poor diet and drinking plenty of fluids (water, herbal tea).
Observations have shown that being overweight can also cause an increase in uric acid levels, in which case, to relieve the symptoms of gout, it is often weight loss is enough. Smoking also increases the risk of developing the disease, so smoking cessation is an important part of prevention.
Some believe that it is effective in preventing (and curing) disease pineapple, celery and black cherries. The enzymes found in pineapple reduce inflammation and pain. And celery, according to folk medicine, is a great help in maintaining uric acid levels. And black cherries, blueberries and strawberries help relieve joint pain. Other folk remedies are nettle tea consumption, in a cure.
Treatment options
In all cases, the treatment method should be rheumatologist specialist is determined by a thorough based on testing and diagnostics. A personalised therapy has a major role in determining the the cause of the disease, its progression, and the fact that you are acute inflammation is taking place.
First as a step towards relieving inflammation is usually achieved with oral medication, in some cases injections, lots of rest and gentleness. The vast majority of cases are nonsteroidal painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs are already effective, but it happens that inflammation to an extent that can only be steroid treatment can be mitigated.
After treatment of the acute phase, an important goal is to reduce uric acid levels!
To achieve this, the rheumatologist specialist per person - and weight! - personalised gout diet will propose, based on vegetables, fruits and cereals. The patient should therefore you should exclude foods high in purines from your diet, such as fish, offal, poultry, yeast, smoked meat, pork, beef, green peas, peanuts or spinach.
Avoid baked goods high in fat and sugar. Low-fat milk, skimmed cheese and cottage cheese are recommended. Broth and broth should also be excluded from the normal diet. Vegetable and fruit soups should be consumed instead. This sparing diet can be supplemented with salads and potatoes in their skins, which are the preferred foods, along with rice and lemon. Sugar and sweets should also be avoided. Drinking plenty of fluids is important, which means at least 3 litres a day of non-carbonated water and teas. An excellent purine drink is estimated to be, for example Balfi and Salvus thermal waters, and nettle tea. The latter is considered one of the best blood purifying herbs. In addition to diet, medication is often needed to maintain uric acid at the right level, at the discretion of the specialist.
Our rheumatology specialists
Dr. Dóra Mihola
Rheumatologist specialist
Dr. Flórián Szeles
Rheumatologist general practitioner
Dr Katalin Bán
Rheumatologist specialist
Dr. Éva Bordán
Rheumatologist general practitioner