What Are The Causes And Triggers Of Gout In The Ankle
The buildup of uric acid in the body is known as hyperuricemia. Your body produces uric acid when it breaks down purines. These are compounds found in all your cells. You can also find purines in several types of food, especially red meat and some seafood, as well as alcohol and some sugar-sweetened drinks.
Usually, uric acid passes through your kidneys, which help to eliminate extra uric acid in your urine. But sometimes theres too much uric acid for your kidneys to handle. In other cases, the kidneys cant process a typical amount of uric acid due to an underlying condition.
As a result, more uric acid circulates throughout your body, ending up in your ankle as uric acid crystals.
4 percent of adults in the United States. It tends to be more common in men because women usually have lower levels of uric acid. But after menopause, women start to have higher uric acid levels. As a result, women tend to develop gout at an older age than men do.
Experts arent sure why some people produce more uric acid or have trouble processing it. But theres evidence that the condition is often genetic.
Other things that may increase your risk of developing gout include:
- consuming a lot of high-purine foods
- consuming foods and drinks, especially alcohol, that increase uric acid production
- being overweight
Contact Us / Make An Appointment By Calling
- Orthopaedics at 734-936-5780
- Rheumatology Services at 888-229-3065
Selecting a health care provider is a very important decision. Because we are highly experienced in treating arthritis and joint inflammation, we would like to help you explore your options. Visit our Contact Us page to see a list of clinics and their contact information. Our staff will be glad to talk with you about how we can help.
The Number 1 Cause Of Adult Heel Pain: Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is the most common source of heel pain in adults. It is caused by inflammation of the plantar fascia, the ligament that runs along the bottom of your foot and connects the toes to the heel.
The plantar fascia supports the arch of your foot and helps absorb the shock of impact when you walk or run. When you place too much tension on this tissue, it stretches and may become inflamed or even tear or rupture.
Recommended Reading: Is Eggplant Bad For Gout
What Does The Future Hold For Gout
Active research is ongoing in a variety of fields related to gout and hyperuricemia. Scientists have found that high animal protein slightly increased the risk for gout. New drugs are being developed that may be more versatile and safe in treating the elevated uric acid levels in patients with chronic gout.
What Are Future Possible Treatments Of Gout
Fortunately, present medications are successful in the vast majority of gout patients. But some patients cannot tolerate our present arsenal of gout medications. For others, these agents are not sufficiently effective. Therefore, new treatments are continually being sought. Some of the more promising include anakinra, rilonacept, canakinumab, BCX4208 and arhalofenate.
Read Also: Foods That Help Gout Go Away
The Role Of Medication In Prevention Of Gout
Table 3: Medications to pevent attacks of gout
Standard medications in preventing gout attacks
i. Colchicine : using the matches analogy discussed above1, using colchicine can be seen as dampening the uric acid matches. Colchicine does not lower the bodys store of uric acid, but it decreases the intensity of the bodys inflammatory reaction to these crystals. Recent studies have shown that at least one mechanism of colchicines action is by acting to prevent a cascade of reactions that lead to the production of interleukin 1-beta, which is an inflammatory protein , which is important in gouty inflammation.8
ii. Allopurinol: This agent is presently the most commonly used drug for the prevention of gout. Allopurinol blocks the enzyme xanthine oxidase, which blocks the breakdown of purines, thus decreasing the bodys total amount of uric acid. Allopurinol is effective in preventing gout no matter what the mechanism of the elevated uric acid was. Whether a person is making too much uric acid, or has difficulty excreting it via the kidney, allopurinols decrease in uric acid production leads to the same goal: a decreased total body uric acid.
Table 4: Reasons to use medication to lower uric acid
Treatment For Gout In The Heel
There is no cure for gout, but treatment to limit attacks and control painful symptoms are available.
If your doctor diagnoses gout, they will most likely suggest medication and certain lifestyle changes based on findings in the testing and your current health.
Certain medications treat gout attacks or flare-ups. Others reduce the risk of potential gout complications.
Read Also: Gin And Tonic For Gout
How Long Does Gout In The Ankle Last
Gout flare-ups can last for several hours at a time, but you may feel pain in your ankle for days or weeks. Some people only have one flare-up in their life, while others have them several times a year.
Keep in mind that gout is a chronic condition, meaning it lasts for a long time and requires ongoing management. Dietary changes and medications can make a big difference, but youll also be at risk of having a flare-up.
Keep in mind that it can also take some time to find the right combination of diet changes and medication that works for you. Dont be discouraged if things dont seem to be improving right away.
Arthritis / Acute Gout Attack
Gout is a form of arthritis, hence it causes pain and discomfort in the joints. A typical gout attack is characterized by the sudden onset of severe pain, swelling, warmth, and redness of a joint. The clinical presentation of acute gouty arthritis is not subtle with very few mimics other than a bacterial infection.
The joint most commonly involved in gout is the first metatarsophalangeal joint , and is called podagra. Any joint may be involved in a gout attack with the most frequent sites being in the feet, ankles, knees, and elbows.
An acute gout attack will generally reach its peak 12-24 hours after onset, and then will slowly begin to resolve even without treatment. Full recovery from a gout attack takes approximately 7-14 days.
An accurate and colorful discription of a gout attack was elegantly written in 1683 by Dr. Thomas Sydenham who was himself a sufferer of gout:
Read Also: Home Remedies For Gout In Finger
How To Treat Gout In The Ankle
The following are various remedies for gout in the ankle. By addressing gout in ankle symptoms before they get out of control, it can help mitigate pain and swelling. It is recommended to speak to your doctor about particular distressing pain caused by gout as they can provide better-tailored gout ankle treatment.
Gout In Heel Diagnosis
Heel pain may be confused with other conditions, which can misguide the treatment. Therefore, it is necessary to get the condition diagnosed correctly. The laboratory investigations involve the aspiration of synovial fluid from the heel joint and analyze it for the presence of needle-shaped gout crystals under a polarizing microscope.
You May Like: Is Krill Oil Bad For Gout
Symptoms Of Heel Pain From Plantar Fasciitis
The hallmark symptoms of plantar fasciitis include the following:
- Heel pain thats most intense first thing in the morning .
- Pain that improves somewhat with stretching and low-impact physical activity
- Sharp or dull pain, accompanied by redness or swelling
- Pain that coincides with weight gain
- Difficulty walking or standing on the affected foot
- Pain that improves through the use of orthotics that help properly realign and cushion the plantar fascia
What Tests Will Be Done To Diagnose Heel Bursitis
Imaging tests can help your healthcare provider confirm heel bursitis. They may include:
- X-rays: An x-ray will show a detailed image of your heel bone. Your healthcare provider will examine the x-ray for any abnormalities in your heel bone. Abnormalities may affect how your foot moves. The presence of an abnormality or a separate disorder can increase your risk of developing heel bursitis.
- Magnetic resonance imaging : An MRI can determine if the cause of your heel pain is from something other than heel bursitis, such as Achilles tendinitis.
Also Check: Why Did I Suddenly Get Gout
Symptoms Of Plantar Fasciitis
The most common symptom of plantar fasciitis is a sharp pain that starts near the heel and runs along the bottom of your foot. Typically, pain is worse during your first steps in the morning or after long periods spent sitting. It then dissipates once youve walked around for a bit. Pain may also be triggered by standing for long periods of time.
How Is Gout In The Ankle Diagnosed
If you think you might have gout but havent been diagnosed, try to see a doctor while youre having symptoms. Gout is easier to diagnose when youre in the middle of a flare-up thats causing swelling, redness, and other visible symptoms.
During your appointment, your doctor will likely ask you several questions about your diet, any medications you take, and whether you have a family history of gout. This can help to rule out other potential causes of your symptoms, including an infection or rheumatoid arthritis.
Your doctor may also order a blood test to check your uric acid levels. But some people have high levels of uric acid and dont develop gout. Others have typical uric acid levels but still develop gout. As a result, theyll want to do some other tests as well.
An X-ray, MRI, or CT scan of your ankle can also help to eliminate other possible causes of joint inflammation. Depending on your exam, they may also order an ultrasound to check for the presence of crystals in your ankle.
Finally, they might do a joint fluid test. This involves taking a small sample of joint fluid from your ankle with a small needle and looking at it under a microscope for any uric acid crystals.
Based on the results of your exam and tests, they may refer you to an inflammatory arthritis specialist called a rheumatologist for treatment.
Theres no cure for gout, but a combination of medications and home treatments can help to manage ankle pain and reduce the number of flare-ups you have.
Recommended Reading: How To Know If You Have Gout In Ankle
The Four Stages Of Gout
Gout is best understood by seeing it as having four phases or stages :
Stage 1: High uric acid
Elevated uric acid without gout or kidney stone, this stage has no symptoms and is generally not treated.
Stage 2: Acute flares
This stage is marked by acute gout attacks causing pain and inflammation in one or more joints.
Stage 3: Intercritical periods
These are periods of time between acute attacks, during which a person feels normal but is at risk for recurrence of acute attacks.
Stage 4: Advanced gout
This is a stage of chronic gouty arthritis, in which there are lumps of uric acid, or tophi , frequent attacks of acute gout, and often a degree of pain even between attacks .
Figure 1: Stages of Gout
Figure 2: Illustration of Toe Joint with Gouty Tophus. normal toe joint Urate crystals, shown in white, at the “bunion joint,” represent a gouty tophus.)
Figure 3: Progression of Gout
Get An Accurate Diagnosis And Treatment
While gout attack symptoms do resolve on their own, people are advised to seek medical treatment. If left untreated, gout can become chronic and cause lasting joint damage.
Diagnosis begins with a clinical exam and interview. Patients are encouraged to be honest with their health care providers about their eating, drinking, and other lifestyle habits. This honesty can be helpful both for diagnosing gout and creating a treatment plan. Diagnosis may also involve blood tests, urine tests, and medical imaging, such as x-rays and ultrasound.
See Gout Diagnosis
Treatment typically involves advice to avoid alcohol and certain foods known to trigger gout, such as foods and drink high in sugar, seafood, red meat, and organ meats.19 Medications to lower urate levels in the bloodâwhich can lead to gout attacksâare often recommended. Losing excess weight is another effective way to reduce the risk of a gout attack and chronic gout.20
See Gout Treatment
Recommended Reading: Photos Of Gout In Hands
Treating Gout With Medications
Certain medications reduce the pain and inflammation of gout attacks, such as anti-inflammatory drugs , colchicine, and corticosteroids. Other medications decrease the level of uric acid in the blood and prevent the deposit of uric acid in joints , the kidneys , and in tissue , helping to prevent further attacks and complications. These drugs include allopurinol, febuxostat, lesinurad, and probenicid.
Can I Do Anything At Home To Relieve Gout Pain
Besides seeing your podiatrist, there are things you can do to ease the pain and swelling caused by gout. Raise and rest the affected limb, and use a splint to immobilize the joint. Also, do not exercise vigorously. Try keeping the joint cool by applying an ice pack wrapped in a towel. Remember, dont apply cold items directly onto the skin. Lastly, do not cover the joint.
You May Like: What Juice Is Good For Gout
What Is Bursitis Of The Heel
A bursa is a small, slippery sac in your body thats filled with fluid. Bursae act as a cushion and lubricant. They protect bones from rubbing or sliding against tendons, muscles or skin.
Theres a bursa behind both of your ankles near your heel bone . Its located in the space between your heel bone and your Achilles tendon. Its called the retrocalcaneal bursa.
Bursitis happens when a bursa becomes irritated and causes pain. Heel bursitis is specific to the bursa in your heel. It causes foot and heel pain.
Heredityand Other Factors Causing Gout
Gout can run in the family although theexact genetic link is not known. A person suffering from kidney disease candevelop gout. In some patients, common medications such as aspirin caninterfere with the normal process of disposing uric acid from the body, leadingto a build-up.
On top of this, there are certain othermedical and non-medical factors which can lead to gout. These include:
- Diabetes
- consumption of alcohol .
Also Check: What Are The Symptoms Of Gout In The Thumb
How Can An Attack Of Gout Be Treated
The management of an acute attack of gout is very different from the prevention of subsequent attacks.
Treatments used for prevention, such as allopurinol can actually make things worse if given during an attack, and so need to be held back until the attack has resolved for several weeks.
There are a number of measures that can help resolve an attack of gout. See Table 2 for summary of treatment strategies for acute gout. One principle is that treatment for an attack of gout should be instituted quickly, since quick treatment can often be rewarded with a quick improvement.
If an attack of gout is allowed to last more than a day or so before treatment is started, the response to treatment may be much slower.
Table 2: Medications to treat acute attacks of gout
The 12 Most Common Causes Of Heel Pain In Adults
Recommended Reading: What Is The First Sign Of Gout
Once Thought To Be A Disease Of The Upper Class Gout Can Affect Anyone Caused By The Buildup Of Uric Acid Salts In The Joints The Big Toe Is The Most Commonly Affected Area
Gout or bunion? Intense pain will usually indicate gout, but only your podiatrist can make a proper determination Normally, uric acid dissolves in your blood, passes through your kidneys, and exits your body via urine. But in some people, uric acid isn’t eliminated properly, and levels become too high. This excess uric acid builds up around the joints, causing inflammation, swelling, and severe pain, which is why Gout is classified as a form of arthritis.
Most patients experience their first gout attack in the middle of the night – they wake up to a throbbing pain in the joint just below the big toe , which is frequently swollen as well. Gout may also appear in the arch of your foot, , heel, knee, wrist, fingers, or elbow.
Symptoms of Gout
- Severe pain and a hot feeling in the affected joints, usually appearing first in the . Pain from an untreated gout attack can last for a week or more and then subside, but pain will return within 3 months
- Red skin area around the joint may appear red or purplish
- Fever
- Stiffness in the joint
- Itchy skin as the gout attack subsides, skin around the joint may itch and peel away
- Small lumps appear around the elbows, hands, or ears
Why some people with high uric acid levels develop Gout and others don’t is not completely understood, but one or more of these factors are thought to contribute: