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Gout (podagra or uric acid)
Health and Nutrition > Diseases >
G
Reviewed by Dr Badal Pal, consultant rheumatologist
How does the doctor diagnose gout?
The diagnosis is usually made from the way the patient presents the symptoms, plus the clinical picture.
In order to rule out other rheumatic complaints, the doctor will usually take a blood sample to measure the concentration of uric acid. He may also undertake an X-ray examination and an examination of the synovial fluid (found within joints), where uric crystals will be visible by using special equipment.
About 60 per cent of the people who experience a gout attack will have a similar or more severe attack within the next year.
The disease can become complicated with calculi (stones) in the urinary system.
With modern treatment it has become much easier to relieve gout.
during the actual attack the most important thing is to soothe the pain with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ordinary analgesics like paracetamol will not relieve the pain, and aspirin must not be used). Colchicine is used to relieve the pain in people who cannot take NSAIDs.
once the attack has passed, you are offered preventive treatment, usually with allopurinol, which will reduce the level of uric acid in the blood. The preventive treatment can - if it is used during an active attack of gout - actually aggravate an attack, because it causes a large quantity of uric acid to be released at the same time.
finally it is important to change your lifestyle, as described above.
Gout (podagra or uric acid) (Contd)
Reviewed by Dr Badal Pal, consultant rheumatologist
How does the doctor diagnose gout?
Future prospects
How is gout treated?
Treatment is concentrated on three areas:
The goals of the treatment are to remove the pain and the swelling, prevent further episodes, prevent and treat tophi and to stop the production of stones in the urinary system.
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