Don’t Ignore Pain From Gout
Gout is a reaction to crystal deposits in a joint. It’s a type of inflammatory arthritis that results from hyperuricemia, a condition resulting from the body’s overproduction or underexcretion of uric acid. This creates a gout crystal that usually settles in one joint of the foot at a time, most commonly the big toe. The lesser toe joints, the ankle, and the knee can also be affected. In some cases, these uric acid crystals continue to build up and form tophi, or lumps under the skin. These lumps can interfere with normal joint function and may eventually cause bone erosion or cartilage damage.
The body naturally produces uric acid, which passes through the kidneys and is removed as urine. Excess uric acid is a metabolic problem, more so than a diet issue. Patients with a family history of gout are at higher risk. Certain health issues can also increase the likelihood of gout, including high blood pressure, diabetes, or kidney disease. Gout is also a rare side effect of some medications.
When a patient experiences a gout attack, they will have severe pain that is sudden in onset. The joint will usually get swollen, red and warm. Standing and walking is markedly painful. The affected joints are very tender, even to a light touch.
We Treat Gout Pain
At Harford Lower Extremity Specialists, we start by helping our Bel Air and Elkton, Maryland patients understand what is causing their gout, and discussing the best way to provide fast relief and to encourage long-term remission.
We often prescribe pain relief medication. Some patients experience immediate relief, while others have intermittent flare-ups for a short period after starting the medication.
In addition to pharmaceutical solutions, a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (D.P.M.) will recommend ways to care for a joint experiencing a gout flare-up, that may include elevating the foot and resting the foot. Cold compresses on the joint may reduce inflammation and soothe the ache. However, this is not a recommended treatment for people with nerve problems from diabetes or other causes.
People suffering from gout are encouraged to drink plenty of water. Staying fully hydrated helps keep uric acid levels lower. Our doctors will recommend that gout sufferers avoid foods high in purines, an organic compound found in high concentrations in meat and meat products, especially in some types of seafood, organ meats, game meats, and fatty foods. You’ll also be asked to avoid fructose-sweetened drinks and beer.
Our podiatric physicians recommend a holistic approach to manage gout. We will discuss your family history, diet, overall health, and activities to develop the most effective strategies to minimize or even eliminate gout flare-ups.
Gout is Often Misdiagnosed. Talk to a Podiatrist
Gout has become more commonly diagnosed in recent decades, but can often be misdiagnosed. Some conditions present similar symptoms, including diabetic foot infections, pseudogout, a condition in which calcium – not uric acid – forms crystals, reactive arthritis occurring as a reaction to an infection elsewhere in the body, psoriatic arthritis, and infectious arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis can also be confused with gout
It’s important that you visit a licensed foot doctor to diagnose your condition and prescribe the best course of action. Harford Lower Extremity Specialists has the tools and the expertise to help! Please fill out our contact form, call our offices to schedule an evaluation at (410) 836-0131, or click the Schedule An Appointment button below.