How to Recognize Gout Symptoms

Too much uric acid in the blood causes gout. Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis most commonly found among men. Gout may stop for long periods, followed by flare-ups that last days to weeks, or can become continuous. Usually gout affects the big toe, but it frequently affects other joints as well.

Steps

 * 1) Know if you are at risk. You are at a higher risk of suffering from gout if:
 * 2) *You are overweight.
 * 3) *You consume beer or liquor.
 * 4) *You suffer from hypertension.
 * 5) *You eat a diet abundant in meat and fish.
 * 6) *You use diuretics.
 * 7) Recognize the symptoms of the four stages of gout. These are:
 * 8) *Asymptomatic tissue deposition.
 * 9) **In this stage you may have no obvious symptoms of gout, but do have hyperuricemia (an imbalance in the production and excretion of urate) and the undetectable deposit of crystals in tissues. The deposition of these crystals is causing damage.
 * 10) *Acute flares.
 * 11) **In this stage, urate crystals in the joint(s) cause intense inflammation. Pain, swelling, warmth, and redness may last for days to even weeks. The pain can vary from mild to excruciating. Beginning attacks happen in the lower extremities. Typically, 50% of people with gout will be affected in the metatarsophalageal joint of big toe (podagra). About 80% of people suffering from gout have podagra at some point. In about half of people with an acute flare, uric acid levels may be normal. Gout may make an appearance differently in the elderly by affecting many joints.
 * 12) *Intercritical segments.
 * 13) **In this stage you will continue to have hyperuricemia, the acute flare will have subsided, and the disease is clinically inactive. There will however be continued deposition of urate crystals in tissues and subsequent damage. As the disease progresses, intercritical segments become shorter in duration.
 * 14) *Chronic gout.
 * 15) **This stage is represented by chronic arthritis, with physical discomfort and sore, aching joints. You may experience tophi (lumps of urate crystals deposited in soft tissue) in cooler areas of the body, such as elbows, ears or the joints near the end of the fingers.

Tips

 * Losing weight lowers the risk for gout.
 * Exercise is a way to manage arthritis pain and increase activity. Speak to your doctor about programs that best suit you.

Warnings

 * Gout is linked with an increased risk of kidney stones.
 * The occurrence of gout among black men is nearly twice that among white men.

Sources and Citations

 * http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/intervention/index.htm
 * http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/arthritis/gout.htm

Source: http://www.wikihow.com/Recognize-Gout-Symptoms