Gout

Daniel Alobaidi

                                                              Gout

Gout is a common form of arthritis that affects mostly men past the age of 40 years. Uric acid builds up in the serum and eventually forms microscopic crystals in the joints, leading to acute attacks. The most common symptoms are inflammation, swelling, tenderness and stiffness of the joints. Initial attacks of acute gout often begin during the night, without warning and occur in only one joint at a time. The joint of the big toe is the most common site, but gout also may affect the midfoot, ankle, knee and hands. Identification of monosodium urate crystals is the standard for diagnosis.
Therapies for acute gout include corticotropin, corticosteroids, colchicine or, more often, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Much of the treatment is specific to gout, making proper diagnosis essential. However, gout often acts like or accompanies other diseases, complicating the diagnosis. Anti-inflammatory drugs are best started early for acute gout. Urate-lowering agents are used for recurrent and chronic gout. Cure of this disease, focuses on more limiting the presence of uric acid in the body.   In addition, alkaline water helps because it contains alkali salts that were proven to have the capability of dissolving uric acid in joints and controlling their presence in the bloodstream.

ARTICLE CITATION:
-DATE:   January 30, 2011
-AUTHOR:   William C Shield jr., MD, FACP, FACR
-TITLE:   Gout and Hyperuricemia
-SOURCE:   www.medicinenet.com

IMAGE CITATION:
-DATE:   September 10, 2010
-AUTHOR:   Mark E. Anderson
-TITLE: Uric acid (C5 H4 N4 O3)
-SOURCE:   Madison Metabolomics