The Painful Condition Called Arthritis Gout Gout is a kind of arthritis. It is mainly caused because of the accumulation of crystals of uric acid in the bone articulations (joints) of the human body. The body doesn’t take kindly to this accumulation. It gets inflamed and swollen and these are accompanied by severe pain. Usually, gout victimizes a single joint at a time. The commonest joint that is affected is the joint of the big toe. However, other prominent joints of the legs and the hands also get severe pain at times. Uric acid is a compound that is formed due to the metabolism of proteins that are present in our body. An insignificant amount of uric acid is also brought into the body from the food that we consume. Usual body processes must eliminate the uric acid that is brought into the body, however that does not always happen. The uric acid crystals look tortuous in themselves; they have a sharp needle shape and they stay embedded in the tissues around the joints that they affect. Despite the manner in which it occurs, gout is quite complicated. People who suffer from gout usually get their first attack between the ages of 45 and 55 years. Women who undergo menopause are at a strong risk of gout in the period immediately following the menopause. There are some hereditary trends seen too. But, for all that, gout is entirely treatable and it is actually quite easy to prevent a recurrence. The main symptom of gout is severe pain in joints, mainly in the big toe. The pain lasts for a while, sometimes for 10 days at a time. The pain surges and ebbs; when it ebbs, the joint appears normal. During the pain, however, there is inflammation and redness in the joint and it may also feel hot. Sometimes the deposition of the crystals can give rise to a condition that is known as false gout; however, in this case the crystals are not of uric acid but of calcium phosphate dehydrate. When false gout occurs, it does not strike the big toe but makes other joints such as those of the wrists, knees and ankles its victims. Many foods can exacerbate this condition. Mushrooms, anchovies, asparagus and organ meats are included in this category. Alcoholism is also known to be a factor. People who don’t keep their body well supplemented with fluids, people who go on sudden diets, people who consume anti rejection drugs or people who are suffering from ailments such as arteriosclerosis or hypertension are vulnerable to gout. When an attack happens, the following attack does not happen for a long time, which can stretch to years. However, it is very necessary to treat the condition so that the period between attacks can be increased. For any pain in joints, you must seek medical help immediately. They will diagnose you and determine it is gout or not. The tests conducted would be mainly a blood test and a urine test. It is also important to keep an optimistic look. You could get kidney stones and a disorder known as tophi. This is termed as a chronic arthritis condition. Doctors usually prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs that are nonsteroidal for treating gout. Once the situation is controlled, the drug intake is slowed down and methods such as increasing the fluid intake are employed so that the uric acid crystals are flushed out of the body of the person. For more information on how to cure gout read our Cure Gout Now review.