What is Gout.

Gout is one of the oldest disease known and also the most frequently recorded in medical history. The Gout is an arthritis disease, where the acute condition is characterized by recurrent painful inflammation of the joints. The arthritis of gout is referred to as gouty arthritis. The affected joint becomes painful, swollen, red, is hot to touch and tender. The pain of gout tends to flare up at night and can be so severe as to awaken you.

These two quotes by famous people will let you on the pain of gout:

“Be temperate in wine, in eating, girls, and sloth; Or the Gout will seize you and plague you both” — Benjamin Franklin.

“People wish their enemies dead, but I do not; I say give them the gout, give them the stone!”—- Mary Worley Montaqu.

What Gout is.

Gout is typically caused due to increase of uric acid levels in blood. This is called hyperuricemia. Due to high levels of uric acid in the blood, gouty arthritis  results from deposits of needle like crystals of uric acid (sodium urate) in the connective tissue and the joint spaces.

In 50% of the cases, the joint at the base of the big toe is affected. That is when the foot is referred to as gout foot or gout big toe and the gout is called podagra. The other joints commonly affected are ankle joints and the metatarsal joints of the feet. In chronic gout, there are recurrent episodes of pain and inflammation  which may affect more than one joint.

Pictures of Gout.

 

Normal Levels of Uric acid.

• The normal levels of uric acid in blood serum are between 3.0 to 7.0 mg per deciliter.
• The normal levels of uric acid in a 24 hour urine sample are 250 to 750 mg per deciliter.
• High levels of serum uric acid is referred to as hyperuricemia.

Types of Gout.

There are two types of gout.

1) Primary Gout.

In primary gout, the cause of high uric acid levels is not known.

2) Secondary Gout.

In secondary gout, the cause of high uric acid levels is identified.  Read causes of gout to know what are the various factors that can cause gout.

Gout Statistics.

• Men between the age of 40 to 50 years, post menopausal women and people with renal impairment are the most affected.
• About 8 persons out of 1000 are affected by gout.
• Gout is 9 times more common in men than in women.
• In the U.S., more than 2 million people stand affected by gout.
• Gout accounts for 5% of all arthritis cases.
• Studies indicate that there has been an alarming rise of gout cases globally.
• Famous celebrities who had gout include King Henry VIII of England, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.

Summary: The pain of gout can disable a person during the gout attacks. In short, what gout does is make the patient miserable. That is why people have often prayed for it to befall their enemies.

 

 

Related posts:

1. Complications of Gout.
2. Gout Symptoms.
3. Diagnosis of Gout.
4. Causes of Gout.
5. Diets for Gout.
6. Treatment of Gout.