GOUT MANAGEMENT

If you suffer from Gout, you may already know how painful it can be. Some medical sites may have lead you to believe that symptoms associated with Gout may subside without help from a doctor. However, gout is a progressive condition that will not just go away and can lead to life threatening complications.
Learning more about gout and what causes its painful symptoms can help you eliminate this condition swiftly and permanently!
Gout is one of the most painful forms of arthritis. It is caused by the buildup of uric acid crystals in the joints of the body causing inflammation, swelling and severe pain. These crystals form when there is an overload of uric acid in the blood.

This condition can develop for 2 reasons:
The body having difficulty in eliminating uric acid through the kidneys; or
When the body produces too much uric acid.
In either case, a condition called hyperuricemia (excess uric acid) results. As you will see, the secret to effectively cure Gout involves preventing the crystallization of uric acid naturally!
Here is what exactly happens...
It all starts with a class of chemicals called Purines. Purines are the waste products of the break down of cells. The body breaks down these purines into uric acid. A normal uric acid concentration is usually maintained by excreting excess amounts through the kidneys into the urine. The problem arises when a persons body loses its ability to handle this uric acid appropriately.

90% of the time this malfunction is due to the inability of the kidneys to effectively eliminate high levels of uric acid. Another 10% of the time its due to the over production of uric acid either through excessive cellular breakdown or a "purine rich" diet.

This over concentration of uric acid in the blood causes it to move out of suspension and crystallize into sharp needle like crystals. This usually happens in the body where temperatures are lower and blood circulation is too slow to carry the uric acid away - thus occurring at extremities such as feet and hands.

A common myth is that these uric acid crystals in the joints cause inflammation due to their sharpness in structure. Recent studies have shown that this is not the case. While it is true that uric acid crystallization is involved in the development of gout, it is the immune system's response that causes the painful symptoms. The immune system detects these sharp uric acid crystals as foreign agents and launches an immune attack on the joints where crystallization occurs.

It is important to note that the only way to effectively subside such an attack is to eliminate the factor causing the immune response in the first place - Uric Acid Crystals!
Since our liver produces about as much uric acid as our kidneys can handle almost everybody is susceptible to some degree. However, many people have misconceptions of what causes gout...

Here are 6 factors that may cause a gout condition to develop:

Genetics plays a major role in determining a person's risk of developing gout. 1 out of 4 people with gout have a family history of the disease.

Gender & Age are also important in assessing the risk of developing gout. Men are more prone than women. Most women develop gout after menopause.

Being Overweight can increase a person's risk to developing gout because there is more tissue for breakdown, therefore leading to excess uric acid in blood.

Excess Alcohol Consumption can lead to an overload of uric acid because it interferes with the kidneys normal function in eliminating uric acid.

Eating A Purine Rich Diet has a somewhat contributing effect to increasing a person's risk of developing gout. As you will see later, this happens rarely!

Medical Conditions & Medications.
Certain diseases increase the risk of developing gout:
Medications that can increase the risk of gout include:
Diabetes
High Blood Pressure
Arteriosclerosis
Hyperlipidemia

Diuretics
The Vitamin Niacin
Levodopa
Salicylates (such as aspirin)
Cyclosporin


While there are many factors that can cause a person to develop gout, all of the above factors have the same end result - excess uric acid production. Therefore to counter the progression of gout, this uric acid must be prevented from crystallization at its root - the joints!