Gout

What is gout?

Gout is a type of arthritis that develops when urate crystals settle in the joints. Urate crystals form when you have high levels of uric acid in your blood. Your body naturally produces uric acid from the metabolism of purines.

Purines are naturally found in your body and come from the food you eat, such as red meat, organ meat, and seafood. 

Usually, your kidneys remove uric acid from your blood and then out of your body through urination. However, if your body produces too much uric acid or your kidneys can’t remove enough from your blood, levels accumulate.

The uric acid builds up in your blood and forms needlelike crystals that settle in your joints, causing inflammation and pain. 

What are the symptoms of gout?

Gout causes intense pain, swelling, and inflammation in the joint. Though arthritis may affect any joint in your body, gout most often affects the joints in the big toe or other joints in the foot.

During a gout attack, you may have severe pain for the first 4 to 12 hours. The severity of your pain then subsides, but you may continue to feel discomfort for a few days or a few weeks.

If you have painful gout attacks, Dr. Narula and the Rheumatology Medical Center team can help you get control over your arthritis and your discomfort. 

How is gout diagnosed?

Dr. Narula and the team conduct a comprehensive evaluation when you come in with concerns about gout. During your assessment, they ask detailed questions about your symptoms, as well as your medical and family history. Then, they perform a physical exam, paying close attention to the affected joint. 

To confirm a gout diagnosis, Dr. Narula and the team extract fluids from the swollen joint and send them to the lab to look for urate crystals. The team may also diagnose gout after a physical exam and blood work to assess uric acid levels. 

How is gout treated?

Dr. Narula and the Rheumatology Medical Center team take a patient-centered approach to care and develop individualized treatment plans for gout based on the severity of your attacks and your medical history. 

During an attack, Dr. Narula and the team may prescribe Colchicine and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). 

To lower uric acid levels to prevent a gout attack, the team may prescribe allopurinol or febuxostat to block uric acid production or Probenecid and Lesinurad to improve your body’s removal of uric acid. 

For expert care of your gout from a patient-centered team, call Rheumatology Medical Center or book an appointment online today.