What is gout?
Q: What is gout?
A: Gout is a very painful medical condition where crystals get deposited from the blood into joints, tendons, and surrounding tissues. It causes red, tender, hot, swollen joint most often at the base of the big toe.
Q: How is gout caused?
A: Gout is caused by having too high of a level of uric acid in the blood which leads to crystals getting deposited from the blood into joints, tendons, and surrounding tissues.
Q: What percentage of cases have inflammatory arthritis?
A: About 50% of all cases of gout have inflammatory arthritis.
Q: How can doctors decide if someone has gout?
A: Doctors can decide if someone has gout if they find crystals in the joint fluid.
Q: What treatments are available for people with gout?
A: Treatment options for people with gout include anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids or colchicine to improve symptoms and lifestyle changes to reduce levels of uric acid as well as taking allopurinol or probenecid to prevent future attacks.
Q: How common is gout?
A:Gout affects approximately one to two percent of people in the West during their lifetimes.
Q: What are some risk factors associated with an increase in cases of gout?
A:Risk factors associated with an increase in cases of gouts include metabolic syndrome, longer life expectancy and changes in diet.
