Gout pain is disturbing you? If yes then you are on the right place. We would cover all of your questions regarding gout disease.
Gout is the form of inflammatory arthritis. This word is originated form old French word ‘goute’ and medieval Latin word ‘Gutta’ and The literally meaning of gout is ‘drop’ because in old time it was consider that disease flows from the blood into the joint just like drop . This disease occurs because of the high uric acid level in the blood.
History of Gout
Gout is very old disease and was known in old Egyptian since 2640 BC. it was also named as ‘Podagra’ in old time. Hippocrates named it as ‘the unwalkable disease’ because people affected with it felt very difficulty while walking. The name ‘gout’ was first used by a Dominican Monk ‘Randolphus Bocking (1197-1258)’ who was a domestic chaplain to the Bishop of Chichester in Dominica. Throughout the history gout was considered associated with food intake especially alcohol intake. In old time excess food and alcohol was the food of kings that’s what it is consider as the disease of kings as it mostly affected the rich people.
How Gout is developed?
high uric acid level in blood causes gout. Uric acid is the byproduct of some nitrogen containing products in our body like purines. These nitrogen containing compounds are harmful to our body. So body converts them to less toxic products like Uric acid. which are easily removed from our body . When this uric acid level increases in our body due to any reason it can lead to gout disease.
What is role of Uric acid in this disease?
Normally Produced uric acid is easily removed from our body through kidneys and intestine. But when it is not removed easily from our body it is accumulated in our body and its level rises. This call it hyperuricemia.
How uric acid is produced in our body?
there are two methods of production of uric acid in out body. First is external intake and second is our body production.
How external food intake effects Serum Uric Acid level ?
When we eat diet having meat, It increases uric acid by digesting DNA in cells of animal. DNA of every living organism has building blocks called purines and pyrimidines. These compounds contain nitrogen atom in them. These compounds are very toxic to our body. Therefore our body has to remove these compounds out of body. Either body absorbs less uric acid from intestine or removes it excessively from the body.
How internal Body production effects Serum Uric acid level in gout?
These are two mechanisms by which internal production of uric acid increases uric acid level in our body. Over producers produce more uric acid than normal. Under Excretor produce less uric acid.
What are over producer in Gout?
Over producers are those which produce more uric acid than normal human body. Basically each day old cells dies and new cells originates. Old cells are torn and one of their end products, after DNA break down is Uric acid. So when more cells are broken blood uric acid level increases. Like patients of cancers and some genetically affected people who produce more uric acid.
Who is Under Excretor in Gout?
Under excretor are those people in which production of uric acid in normal but removal of that uric acid from body is less than the required level. Like patient of kidney failure cannot easily remove uric acid from body that why in under excretor people uric acid level increases in gout.
What is the normal level of uric acid in human body?
Normal value of uric acid in human body is different. Females have different level then male similarly adults have different value then children. Normal adult female has 2.7-7.3 mg/dl or 0.16-0.43 mmol/L while male adults have range of 4.0-8.5 mg/dL or 0.24-0.51 mmol/L. children have 2.5-5.5 mg/dL or 0.12-0.32mmol/L. in these normal reference ranges uric acid does not causes any symptoms until unless patient already has a flare of high uric acid and has previous history.
Is high level of uric acid harmful for every patient?
‘No’ high level of uric acid is not harmful for every person. Because if due to any reason your uric acid level increase and kidney compensates it and removes it effectively then you would not get any complication.
Can gout affect your whole body?
Yes it can affect any part of our body. As Uric acid levels is high in blood and blood circulates in whole body so high levels of uric acid can affect any part of body. It’s just because our cells cannot live without nutrients. So whole body is supply by blood and uric acid.
Which Body Parts are affected with gout?
Gout mainly affects joints of our body. Main joint involved is big toe but it can effect others joints as well like knee, hands, ankle and elbow joint. It can also affect kidney functions.
Can gout kill me?
Direct answer to this question is ‘NO’. it does not directly involve our vital organs like brain, heart and lungs to kill. A secondary infection can develop at Gout affected joint. It can cause sepsis. Sepsis can cause septic shock. Septic shock can kill you if not treated properly.
Who is Affected by gout?
Men are more affected by gout then women. Women are affected more in their menopause age by gout. As the age increases patient become more susceptible to gout as compared to their younger age. Kidney patients, high alcoholic intake, african-american men, cancer patients on anti cancer medications etc are more prone to gout disease.
What are the risk factors for developing Gout?
Hyperuricemia is th man risk factor for developing gout. Along with that there also other factors which take part in development of gout. Like hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, obesity, hypertension, renal failure are other rick factors which are responsible for the development of gout.
How uric acid crystal are formed in our body?
Our body does not forms uric acid crystals normally. Uric acid is found in the form of Urate crystals in blood. It is the salt of uric acid. At higher concentration in blood , urate is transformed into crystal shape which are deposited in joints and causes gout pain.
At which Plasma Uric Acid concentration crystals are formed?
6.8 mg/dl is Upper limit for uric acid in our body. When it is higher than 6.8 mg/dl . It forms uric acid crystals. At this concentration uric acid reacts with sodium and forms monosodium urate(MSU) crystal.
fighting with gout.
if you have gout then stay tuned with us. We provide a lot of information regarding foods to avoid and use in gout disease. What are personal things used in arthritis patients? These are available at our arthritis shop. if you want to know what is arthritis then you can read this article.
Pingback: 25 reasons women after 40 years age have more pains in their joints. - I-Noesis