Today's article covers some of the basic symptoms of gout.
If you are worried about developing gout, an simple way of spotting the symptoms is to look out for changes in one of your big toes.
If your big toe is swollen, stiff, and red, it may mean you have gout. Sometimes the big toe can be much larger than normal size - even by a factor of two or three!
In addition to being painful, the toe may be extremely sensitive. The slightest touch can cause extreme discomfort. The big toe is not the only area that can be affected, but keep in mind that it is the most common.
Other areas where gout can show include the wrist, ankle, knee, and any other joint in the body,
If untreated, more severe cases of gout can affect more than one area of the body. Sometimes, several areas can be symptomatic all at once.
In unusual cases, buildups of uric acid deposits can occur under the skin, around cartilage and bones, and even under the eyes and in the ears.
As the severity of gout increases, more damaging symptoms can arise. Since the kidneys have to work excessively hard to process uric acid, deposits in the kidneys can lead to kidney stones that may require surgery to remove.
In the next article I will be talking about some of the ways gout can be diagnosed.
If you are worried about developing gout, an simple way of spotting the symptoms is to look out for changes in one of your big toes.
If your big toe is swollen, stiff, and red, it may mean you have gout. Sometimes the big toe can be much larger than normal size - even by a factor of two or three!
In addition to being painful, the toe may be extremely sensitive. The slightest touch can cause extreme discomfort. The big toe is not the only area that can be affected, but keep in mind that it is the most common.
Other areas where gout can show include the wrist, ankle, knee, and any other joint in the body,
If untreated, more severe cases of gout can affect more than one area of the body. Sometimes, several areas can be symptomatic all at once.
In unusual cases, buildups of uric acid deposits can occur under the skin, around cartilage and bones, and even under the eyes and in the ears.
As the severity of gout increases, more damaging symptoms can arise. Since the kidneys have to work excessively hard to process uric acid, deposits in the kidneys can lead to kidney stones that may require surgery to remove.
In the next article I will be talking about some of the ways gout can be diagnosed.
