What is gouty arthritis?

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Gouty arthritis is a type of arthritis where a patient suffers from immediate and pressing joint pains accompanied with warmth, redness and swelling of the areas affected. This type of arthritis strikes one joint at each time. The most common joints that are attacked are the big toes also referred to as podagora. It can however affect the other toes,too.

Gouty arthritis normally attacks those who are already in their middle age. The disease usually strikes the men with a likelihood of 10 percent. It normally does not affect individuals who are below 30 years of age as well as women who are not yet in their menopausal year. A person usually experiences gouty arthritis when they reach the age of 47 and is more among people living in countries that have higher standards of living. This is because the medical condition is affected by the diet of a person.

What causes gouty arthritis?

Gouty arthritis occurs when the uric crystals in a body build up within the joints and result into swelling. Uric acid is formed when the body breaks down the proteins and cells and then released out to the bloodstream. Uric acid is taken out through the kidneys after being dissolved in the person’s blood.

A person who has too much uric acid in his or her blood will have hyperuricemia. It is essential that the kidneys get rid of the formed uric crystals before they start collecting in the kidneys, joints, soft tissues and skin.

As mentioned, diet takes a role in whether a person will have gouty arthritis or not. Some high-protein food may trigger gout. Some drinks like coffee, tea, alcohol and cocoa can cause excessive loss of water in the body which may result in a gout attack. A person who experiences drastic changes in his or her weight may also suffer from this disease.

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