What are the symptoms of gout?
Gout is a common type of arthritis caused by high levels of uric acid in the body, leading to the deposition of urate crystals in the joints. In recent years, with changes in lifestyle, the incidence of gout has increased year by year and has become one of the hot health topics. This article will introduce the symptoms, triggers and preventive measures of gout in detail to help everyone better understand and deal with this disease.
1. The main symptoms of gout
Symptoms of gout usually manifest as a sudden onset of severe pain, redness, swelling, and warmth. Here are detailed descriptions of common symptoms:
| Symptoms | Description |
|---|---|
| acute joint pain | It usually occurs at night or early in the morning, and the pain is severe. It is common in the big toe joint (about 50% of the first attack sites). |
| Redness, swelling and heat | The affected joints are obviously swollen, red, and have a burning sensation when touched. |
| Restricted activities | Joint mobility is significantly reduced due to pain and swelling. |
| recurring attacks | Without treatment, the disease may relapse months or years later, gradually affecting more joints. |
| tophi | Chronic patients may see nodules formed by subcutaneous urate deposition (commonly found on the auricles, fingers, and elbows). |
2. Typical attack stages of gout
The development of gout can be divided into four stages, each with different symptoms:
| stage | Symptom characteristics | duration |
|---|---|---|
| Asymptomatic hyperuricemia | Elevated uric acid without clinical manifestations | Lasts for several years |
| acute gouty arthritis | Sudden severe pain, redness and swelling | 3-10 days (without treatment) |
| Intermission | asymptomatic remission | months to years |
| chronic tophi gout | Multiple joint involvement, tophi formation | Long-term untreated |
3. High-risk causes of gout
The following factors may trigger an acute attack of gout:
| type of trigger | specific factors |
|---|---|
| dietary factors | High purine foods (seafood, red meat, animal offal), alcohol (especially beer), sugary drinks |
| metabolic factors | Obesity, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia |
| other factors | Strenuous exercise, trauma, surgery, sudden cold, certain diuretic drugs |
4. Suggestions on the prevention and management of gout
To prevent and manage gout symptoms, the following measures can be taken:
| Measure category | Specific content |
|---|---|
| Diet control | Drink more than 2000ml of water per day, limit high-purine foods, and increase intake of low-fat dairy products, fruits and vegetables |
| lifestyle | Control your weight (BMI <25), exercise regularly (avoid strenuous exercise), quit smoking and limit alcohol consumption |
| medical intervention | Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs/colchicine are used in the acute phase, and uric acid-lowering treatment (allopurinol, etc.) is required in the chronic phase. |
| Monitoring indicators | Regularly test blood uric acid (target value <360 μmol/L), kidney function, etc. |
5. Special circumstances that require vigilance
If the following conditions occur, it is recommended to seek medical treatment immediately:
1. First onset of severe joint pain, especially at the base of the big toe
2. Accompanied by systemic symptoms such as fever
3. Pain that persists for more than 2 weeks without relief
4. Gout has been diagnosed but the frequency of attacks increases (>2 times per year)
5. Discovery of subcutaneous nodules (tophus)
Although gout cannot be cured, symptoms can be effectively controlled and complications prevented through standardized treatment and lifestyle adjustments. It is recommended that high-risk groups (men, middle-aged and elderly people, and those with family history) regularly monitor uric acid levels to achieve early detection and early intervention.
(The full text is about 850 words in total, covering detailed analysis of gout symptoms and key points of prevention and treatment)
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