February 23, 2008

Newly Diagnosed With Gout Disease?

Taking care of your feet is important if you have gout disease, but if you0ve never experienced gout before, and are suffering from it for the first time, you may have many questions regarding what gout is, and how to prevent it. The following is basic information about gout that will help you better understand the disease and how you can stop it from recurring.
What is gout? Gout is considered a form of arthritis or an acquired disease. Gout is characterized by a build up of uric acid levels in the blood, which eventually turn into uric acid crystals that are typically deposited into joints (I.E. big toe, ankles, knees, writs, fingers, elbows, etc.), causing the affected joints to become inflamed.
Gout, especially the first occurrence, almost always attacks the big toe and causes the following symptoms:
- Sudden acute pain and throbbing in the joint
- Redness and swelling in the joint
- Difficulty moving the joint within its normal capacity
- Skin over the joint may feel tight as if it is being stretched
The attack usually happens in the middle of the night, and can last for many days (usually 3 -5 days) or weeks.
Who is prone to gout disease? Approximately 1 million […]