Gout is one the most painful and oldest diseases known to mankind. Gout patients were described as being wealthy, corpulent, and aristocratic in the middle ages. They had a huge appetite for food, drink, and women. Gout is almost always associated with men. Gouty symptoms are excruciatingly painful, irregular attacks that occur in the joints. However, each episode usually affects only one joint. The big toe is the most common affected joint. It becomes red, swollen and hot, and so painful that even the weight of a sheet of bedsheet seems impossible. Other joints, such as the elbows and knees, can also be affected but only one.
Gout Symptoms
The attacks last about two weeks, then they subside and return at some point in the future. Gout symptoms can recur, sometimes not completely disappearing, which can cause constant pain. Modern medical technology and advanced microscopic examinations revealed the true cause of gout. Uric acid was the real culprit. Pointy crystals of the uric acid are responsible for the excruciating pain in the joint. Patients with too much uric acids in their system may develop yellowish chalk-like deposits around their joints and other parts of the body, such as the earlobes.
Gout is a condition in which the blood levels of uric acid are elevated. Next, we need to find ways to reduce and control excessive uric acid. This is often a side effect of a gluttonous lifestyle. Purine, a type protein found in many foods, is the cause of uric acid. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that gout is caused in part by excess protein in the diet, especially proteins rich in purines. To help doctors, doctors have prescribed low-protein diets with low levels of purines to gout patients.
They also prescribe drugs that prevent the formation of uric acids. Patients are advised to eat lean meats and low-fat dairy products, and to limit their intake of fats. Gout is a condition that occurs when the kidneys are unable to produce enough uric acid in order to prevent it from building up. Gout attacks can be prevented by a combination of a decreased intake of protein and the use of other medications.