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If you are experiencing painful and torturous symptoms that come on suddenly, you might be dealing with gout. This condition can cause agonizing discomfort and many people often seek emergency help, because the pain becomes extreme quite fast. The majority of gout patients have ranked their pain to be at least 9, and here is what you need to know about gout and when to seek medical help.
Visit your doctor on time!
What is gout?
Gout is a very painful condition. It is a form of arthritis and it can occur suddenly. When an excessive amount of uric acid develops in the bloodstream, your symptoms will start to appear, and will advance to your kidneys.
If the acid is being accumulated faster than the body is able to eliminate it, that will result in symptoms that are very painful. So when do you have to seek out gout treatment? If you feel any discomfort or pain, it might be time to visit your doctor. The symptoms can cause a lot of pain, swelling, redness, and the area can become tender.
What increases the risk of gout?
Men are more likely to develop gout, as well as people who are overweight. The risk rises for anyone who has to deal with insulin resistance, hypertension, kidney issues, congestive heart failure, and diabetes. Alcohol consumption can also cause gout, and so can some foods and liquid. Consult your doctor to find out more.
Reducing the risk
There are some steps you can take to reduce the risk of experiencing gout. This will involve avoiding any possible causes of gout, which your doctor can tell you about; from maintaining a healthy diet, to no eating foods that have high levels of uric acid.
You should also make sure to have an active lifestyle, since physical activity will provide you with a number of benefits. In addition to aiding your physical and mental health, exercise is important in helping you maintain a healthy weight. This will decrease the strain on your joints, hips, and knees.
What are the symptoms?
A gout attack will usually affect one joint at a time. If that is not treated, then you can experience pain in other joints, as well. Attacks can be constant, or come and go. The gout attack will last from three to ten days, but you can feel better if you visit your doctor sooner. There are a couple of stages of gout, and it gets worse as the gout starts progressing. Keep an eye out for these symptoms.
- Swelling and pain in one or more joints – gout usually starts in the big toe. However, it can occur in other parts, such as the ankles, knees, elbows, hips, instep, heels, fingers, and thumbs.
- Redness and warmth often come along with pain at the affected joints. You will also feel tenderness and prolonged discomfort.
- Your range of motion might be limited.
When should you visit a doctor?
Usually, if you are experiencing any kind of pain or discomfort for longer periods, it is recommended that you visit your doctor. If you are dealing with intense pain, redness, heat, and swelling, that usually means that gout might be the issue. It is important that you visit a physician if you are experiencing sudden waves of pain, especially if you also have the chills or a higher fever.
If you’ve already experienced gout, there is a high chance that the condition will reemerge sooner or later. This is called the gout flare, and it might not happen for a long time. However, whether it takes a year or just months to come back, it always comes back. This is why it is important that you visit your doctor the first time you feel pain.
Gout often starts in the big toe, but it can appear in other joints as well
