Gout attacks are painful, and this condition can lead to disability if left untreated. Learning how to recognize gout can help you seek proper care.

Gout—a form of arthritis that affects about 3 million Americans—can be extremely painful. While the disease can’t be cured, the symptoms can be treated and in some cases the number of attacks can be reduced.

Causes
Gout occurs when uric acid builds up and forms crystals in the joints, creating pain and swelling. Several factors can increase your risk for this condition:

• Being a man or a postmenopausal woman
• Having kidney disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure
• Being overweight
• Having a family history of the disease
• Eating a lot of shellfish or drinking a lot of alcohol
• Taking certain medications, including aspirin and diuretics

Symptoms
The acute symptoms of a gout attack include:

• Intense, throbbing pain that comes on quickly, often at night
• Initial pain affecting a big toe, knee, or ankle joint, which is warm, red, and extremely tender
• Possible fever
• Symptoms that disappear, only to return

Treatment
See your doctor right away if you’re having a gout attack. The doctor can prescribe medications to reduce your pain and swelling. If your attacks are severe or frequent, your doctor may also recommend you take a daily dose of a medication designed to decrease your uric acid levels.

Resting in bed and placing an ice pack on the affected area can increase your comfort.

Untreated gout attacks can last for days or weeks and can spread to additional joints. Lack of treatment can cause permanent damage to joints.

Self-Care
Making certain changes to your lifestyle is the key to living with gout. These include:

• Avoiding alcohol
• Limiting foods that are high in purine, such as sardines, herring, anchovies, organ meats, dried peas, beans, mushrooms, spinach, asparagus, cauliflower, and gravies
• Reducing your meat consumption
• Exercising moderately most days for 30 minutes
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Drinking plenty of water

Gout attacks can’t always be prevented, but avoiding known triggers can make them less likely to occur.

For more information, visit the Gout & Uric Acid Education Society at www.gouteducation.org.

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