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Gout
Goutisacommonformofarthritischaracterisedbyrecurrentattacksofpain,swellingand redness.Goutismorecommoninmen,andoftenseveralmenoftheonefamilycanbeaffectedby gout. Whilemostothertypesofarthritisdevelopslowly,anattackofgouthappenssuddenly,often overnight.Themostcommonlyaffectedjointisthebigtoe,butgoutmaybeexperiencedinthe feet,anklesandknees,andlesscommonlyintheelbows,handsandotherjoints.Forsomepeople, eventheweightofabedsheetcancauseintolerablepain.

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Causes of gout
Goutoccurswhenuricacidbuildsupinthebloodstreamanddepositsuratecrystalsinthejoint. Thebuild-upofuricacidismostcommonlycausedbyunder-excretionofuricacidbythekidneys, butmayalsobecausedbytheoverproductionofuricacidbythebody.Somepeoplehavehigher levelsofuricacidintheirbloodstreamwhencomparedtootherindividuals.Thisconditioniscalled hyperuricaemiaandcanbehereditary.Othercausesofgoutcanincludetheuseofdiuretics(fluid tablets)whichcancausetheretentionoftoomuchuricacid.

Risk factors of gout

Apersonwithgoutismorelikelytohaveanattackwhenthey: Haveelevatedlevelsofurateintheblood Consumetoomuchalcohol(particularlybeer) Consumeadiethighinpurinessuchasmeat,sweetbreads,offal,shellfish,andfructose (foundinfruitjuices) Areobese Usediuretics Injureajoint Becomedehydrated.

Dealing with an attack of gout

Withouttreatmenttheattackusuallyresolveswithinoneortwoweeks,howeverwithmedications theattackcanberesolvedwithinseveraldays. Ifyouhavenothadanattackofgoutbefore,yourdoctorwilllookforelevateduratelevelsinyour bloodandmayaspirate(removeasampleoffluidfromthejoint)tomakeadefinitediagnosis.If youhavegout,uricacidcrystalscanbeseeninlargenumbersunderamicroscope. Oncethediagnosisisconfirmed,yourdoctorwillconsiderthefollowingtreatmentoptions: Nonsteroidalanti-inflammatorydrugs(NSAIDs) Colchicine Corticosteroidsinjectionsortablets

Someofthesemedicationshavesideeffectsyourdoctorwillbeabletoadvisethemost appropriatetreatmentforyou.

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Themethodsofmanaginganacuteattackofgoutdifferfromtheongoingmethodsformanaging gout.Theprimarygoalineverydaymanagementistoreducethelevelofuricacidinthebloodsoit cannotformcrystalsinthetissuesorjoints.Thebenefitsofreducinguricacidinthebloodlong terminclude: Slowingtheprogressorriskofkidneydiseasewhichmaybecausedbydepositsofuratein thekidneys Possiblyreducingtheriskofheartdisease.

Ifyouhavefrequentepisodesofgoutyourdoctormayprescribemedicationsto: Reducetheformationofuricacid Increasetheexcretionofuricacid.

Changes to lifestyle can help in the long term

Ifyousufferfromgoutyouwillbenefitinthelongtermfromhealthychangestoyourlifestyle. Suggestionstoassistinthelifestylemanagementofgoutinclude: Maintainahealthybodyweight.Ifyoudoneedtoloseweight,ensureyourweightlossis gradualascrashdietscanincreaseuricacidlevels Cutdownonalcoholconsumptionandavoidbingedrinking Keephydrateddrinkplentyofwater Consultadietitiantogetadviceonadietthatlimitsthepurinesthatarethoughttocause gout Exerciseregularly Managehighbloodpressure Workcloselywithyourdoctortopreventfurtherattacksandactivelymanageyour condition.

Where to get help

Yourdoctor Arheumatologist

Things to remember

Goutisatypeofarthritiscausedbytoomuchuricacidinthebloodstream. Excessuricacidsettlesinjointsandcausespainandswelling. Healthylifestylechoicescombinedwithacorrecttreatmentprogramshouldmeanthatgout canbesuccessfullymanaged.

This page has been produced in consultation with, and approved by:

ArthritisVictoriaincorporatingOsteoporosisVictoria
Contentonthiswebsiteisprovidedforeducationandinformationpurposesonly.Information aboutatherapy,service,productortreatmentdoesnotimplyendorsementandisnotintendedto replaceadvicefromyourdoctororotherregisteredhealthprofessional.Contenthasbeen preparedforVictorianresidentsandwiderAustralianaudiences,andwasaccurateatthetimeof publication.Readersshouldnotethat,overtime,currencyandcompletenessoftheinformation maychange.Allusersareurgedtoalwaysseekadvicefromaregisteredhealthcareprofessional fordiagnosisandanswerstotheirmedicalquestions. Forthelatestupdatesandmoreinformation,visitwww.betterhealth.vic.gov.au Copyight 1999/2012StateofVictoria.ReproducedfromtheBetterHealthChannel (www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au)atnocostwithpermissionoftheVictorianMinisterforHealth. Unauthorisedreproductionandotherusescomprisedinthecopyrightareprohibitedwithout permission.

Gout

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Gout

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