Gout is exhibited by swelling, tenderness, and sharp joint pain due to crystalizing deposits of uric acid. The joint that’s most affected by these uric acid deposits is the base of the big toe. Because of hormonal factors, postmenopausal women and men are more incline to suffer the most as a result of gout. Here [...]
Gout
Gout is a type of arthritis that is caused by crystals of uric acid that are deposited in a joint, which is usually the knee, elbow, hand, or foot. The most prevalent spot is the base of the big toe. Men are more prone to suffer from gout than women are. Uric acid is one of the waste products that is found in the blood and is usually eliminated by the kidneys. Unfortunately, five to ten percent of men in the United States have abnormally high amounts of uric acid in their blood (hyperuricemia) due to overproduction or poor elimination and in some cases both. As a result, uric acid crystals are discharged in the joint fluid; some experts believe that this occurrence could be an inherited trait. The crystals are needle sharp and will cause intense irritation as well as swollen and tender joints that are warm to the touch. In addition, the skin over the joint becomes shiny, red, and tense.
Most people that suffer their first attack of gout will only experience it in a single joint. However, if left untreated, the attack could last from 1 to 2 weeks. Gout sufferers will tell you that the pain is unbearable. The attacks will become more consequent and more joints will become affected, which will lead to more severe pain. In this section, you will learn how to treat gout naturally.
People that have experienced a gout attack would tell you that the pain they go through during a flare up is like walking on shattered glass, but the glass is not on the ground, it’s inside of them. When you have a gout attack, a natural by-product of the metabolism of protein called uric acid [...]
