Gout - Symptoms, Types, Causes and Treatment

Summary about Gout in Urdu

گائوٹ جوڑوں کے درد کی ایک قسم ہے جو کہ جسم میں یورک ایسڈ کی زیادتی کے باعث سامنے آتی ہے۔ اس کی علامات میں متاثرہ جوڑوں کی سرخی، درد، اور سوجن شامل ہیں۔ اس بیماری سے سب سے زیادہ پائوں کے انگوٹھے کا جوڑ متاثر ہوتا ہے لیکن یہ جسم کے دوسرے حصوں جیسے کہ کہنی، ہاتھ، پائوں اور گھٹنے کے جوڑوں کو بھی متاثر کر سکتا ہے۔ اس سے بچائو میں علاج اور احتیاط دونوں ہی اہم ہیں۔

Summary about Gout in English

Gout is a type of arthritis and is quite common. It is a complex disorder with appears suddenly with symptoms like pain, swelling, redness, and stiffness of joints. Although the most commonly affected joint is that of the big toe, any other joint like the ankle, wrist, hand, foot, and elbow can become affected. Gout arises due to an excess of uric acid in the body. Increased amounts of uric acid can form sharp crystals in joints and result in swelling, tenderness, and redness at the affected site.

Symptoms of Gout

Gout attacks are sudden and severe often occurring at night. Symptoms of gout are:

Redness
Swelling
Pain
Stiffness
Limited range of movement
Tenderness
The affected site feels warm

Causes of Gout

Gout is caused by an excess of uric acid in the body. Your body makes uric acid naturally as well as a by-product of breaking down chemicals called purines. These are found in foods like red meat, pulses, cola, and sugar-laden drinks. When in permissible amounts it leaves your body via urine but its excess can lead to accumulation in joints and also in kidney forming kidney stones. In joints, the crystals of uric acid cause redness, swelling, and affected site feel warm at touching.

Risk Factors of Gout

Anyone having a family history of gout has an increased risk of developing gout. Use of certain medicines like diuretics is also associated with increasing the chances of this disease. People with chronic diseases like diabetes and those who have undergone gastric bypass surgery also have increased risk of gout.

Preventive Measures for Gout

Gout is a painful condition but there are ways you can manage and prevent its flare-ups. Preventive tips for gout are:

Staying well hydrated goes a long way in keeping gout at bay. Now, this doesn't mean you can gulp down as many sugary drinks as possible. Hydration has to be achieved with plenty of water. Limit consumption of high fructose drinks and all other sweetened beverages.
Limit alcohol usage as recent evidence shows certain types of alcoholic beverages can aggravate gout, especially in men.
You need to watch your diet in gout. Limit consumption of red meat, poultry, and seafood. Use plenty of fruits and vegetables. Take low-fat dairy products as these have a tendency to protect against gout.
Maintaining a healthy body weight has many other benefits and it keeps gout at bay as well. Avoid fasting or crash dieting as this can raise uric acid temporarily.