Causes And Symptoms Of Arthritis Flares
If you have arthritis, you will likely have experienced a flare-up of symptoms at one time or another, often with no apparent cause. Depending on the type of arthritis you have, it may be related to a specific trigger or the ongoing progression of your disease. It is often hard to tell.
Is Sudden Onset Joint Pain Dangerous
Humans have this bad habit of thinking that pain will go away eventually. Sometimes it does.
But joints aren’t supposed to hurt. And when they do, suddenly and out of the blue, then you better start paying attention.
Obviously if were in a car accident that caused joint pain due to impact injury, that’s problematic but not life threatening .If the pain is from a new infection, it’s a whole different story.
Is sudden onset joint pain due to infection dangerous?Absolutely, yes it is.
A new and sudden infection, in your joint, is a BIG and potentially life threatening problem.
Go see a doctor ASAP. Right now.
Joint infection can turn septic, which is VERY dangerous. Left unchecked it can kill you, or result in loss of limb.
If you’re saying ‘My joints hurt all over’, that can be a non-life threatening issue like rheumatoid arthritis, or it can point to a systemic infection.
Unless you know enough about your situation to not be worried, sudden onset muscle and joint pain should be a major cause of concern.
Risk Factors Of Gout Flares
If you fall into one of the following risk factor groups, you may be more likely to develop gout.
- Age: Older individuals are more likely to develop gout. Men over 40 and post-menopausal women are at greater risk, as well.
- Sex: Men are three times more likely to develop gout than women. This is because women generally tend to have lower uric acid levels. However, those levels may increase after a person experiences menopause.
- Family history: Genetics play a big role in gout because your biological basis determines how well your body can process uric acid. If other family members have had gout, youre more likely to develop the condition.
- Medical conditions: Certain diseases and medical conditions can increase your risk of developing gout. This includes high blood pressure, diabetes, insulin resistance, chronic kidney disease, and heart diseases.
- Weight: People who are overweight may produce more uric acid, putting them at risk for developing gout.
- Certain medications:Some medications, like aspirin, diuretics, and beta blockers, can increase uric acid levelswhich in turn, increases the risk of developing gout.
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What Can Trigger An Attack Of Gout
Gout can be triggered by medical or lifestyle factors:
Medical
Joint injury, infection, or severe, acute illness can all cause gout attacks. Patients should be aware that some medical treatments may contribute to gout. These include certain diuretics, the organ transplant-facilitating drug cyclosporine, and chemotherapy, among others.
Lifestyle
For most people, the greatest gout risk comes from lifestyle factors. These include crash diets, excessive consumption of alcohol or sugary sodas, and eating a diet heavy in red meat or shellfish.
Now Its Your Turn To Understand Why Do I Have Constant Gout Flare Ups
Theres nowadays a large number of us who no longer undergo gout because we tackled it at its result in. Rather than just tinkering with the outward symptoms.
Im one of them.
Remember, I got gout for the same causes you own it nowadays.
An harmful gut microbiome meant that bacteria that should have been taking away a 3rd of my bodys uric acid just wasnt.
That bacteria had diminished to the stage that my kidneys had been trying to deal with the acid independently.
And they couldnt cope.
Nor can yours.
It wasnt which i was suddenly generating an excessive amount of uric acid. Its that my gut was initially no more able to help my kidneys remove it from my own body.
Plus the change from gout to no gout almost experienced like magic.
You can possibly imagine it yourself.. what it would be like to simply never have any gout ever again.
Take my word for it, its wonderful!
No flare-ups, no pain, no being laid-up in bed for days waiting for the pain to subside.
Little thinking if some potential future function will be smudged because Im laid up in agony with another strike.
In the same way pleasing is the fact Ive also greatly decreased my risks of struggling diabetes, kidney failure, cardiovascular disease and some malignancies.
Shellys program lays it all out for us. No special knowledge is required. I found it easy.
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Whats The Outlook For People With Gout
Untreated gout can lead to permanent joint damage. The buildup of uric acid in the joints and soft tissue is called tophus. Some people with gout can also develop other health problems, such as severe arthritis, kidney stones and heart disease. Its important to discuss your symptoms with a healthcare provider.
Follow Your Healthcare Providers Advice
Because arthritis flares are somewhat inevitable, you should know what your healthcare provider wants you to do when a flare occurs. Have a conversation with your healthcare provider ahead of time. Flares are typically inconvenient, meaning they can occur during the night or on the weekend when your healthcare provider is unavailable.
Know the maximum limits of your pain medication. Discuss whether you should always have a backup on hand or ready to be refilled. Know what your healthcare provider wants you to do.
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What Else Should I Ask My Healthcare Provider About Gout
Consider asking your healthcare provider:
- What is causing the gout?
- Do I have any joint damage?
- What can I do to prevent future attacks?
- Can any gout medications help me?
- How long will I need to take gout medications?
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Gout is a painful form of arthritis. Extra uric acid in your body creates sharp crystals in the joints, leading to swelling and extreme tenderness. Gout usually starts in the big toe but can affect other joints. Gout is a treatable condition, and the uric acid level can be decreased by medication and lifestyle changes. Talk to your healthcare provider about medications that can reduce uric acid levels. They can also discuss changes you can make to your diet and lifestyle to prevent and reduce gout attacks.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 11/15/2020.
References
Medications That Can Trigger Gout
Some medications can trigger gout symptoms. This includes common pain medications. Even small amounts of these drugs can impact gout. Your doctor may recommend changing these medications if you notice more gout symptoms.
Aspirin or acetylsalicylic acid raises uric acid in your blood. Even low doses of aspirin can trigger gout. Research shows that this effect of aspirin is more common in women than in men.
Diuretics or water pills help to treat conditions such as high blood pressure and edema or swelling in the legs. These medications work by getting rid of excess water and salt from the body. However, they can also cause a side effect of too much uric acid in the body, triggering gout. Diuretic drugs include:
- chlorothiazide
may have high levels of the hormone insulin. This can cause too much uric acid in the body, triggering gout symptoms in your joints.
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What Does A Gout Attack Look And Feel Like What Would A Foot Or Toe With Gout Look Like
When gout occurs, the joint tends to be extremely painful and is warm, red and swollen . The inflammation that is part of a gout attack is systemic, so that fever and chills, fatigue and malaise are not uncommonly part of the picture of a gout attack.
Figure 6: Toe with Acute Attack of Gout
Gout attacks can occur in joints that look normal, or in joints that have easily visible deposits of uric acid. These deposits are called tophi and can be in numerous locations, but especially on the feet and elbows. In Figure 9, the little finger of the right hand is bandaged since fluid was just removed from it, which demonstrated innumerable uric acid crystals.
Figure 7a: Tophi on Foot
Figure 7b: Tophus Over Achilles’ Tendon
Figure 8: Tophus on Elbow
Figure 9: Tophi on Hands
Figure 10: Large Tophus of Finger
While some gout attacks will solve quickly by themselves, the majority will go on for a week, several weeks, or even longer if not treated. Since gout attacks are usually quite painful and often make walking difficult, most gout sufferers will request specific treatment for their painful condition.
Health Conditions And Treatments
Certain drugs, health problems, and lifestyle choices can trigger gout, too.
Medications. Aspirin, certain diuretics for high blood pressure , and drugs for people who had organ transplants can trigger gout. After a flare, go over all the medicines you take with your doctor. If needed, they should be able to find another option.
Being overweight. When you slim down, you can protect yourself from another flare.
Fasting or crash diets. If you lose weight too quickly or fast, you could raise your chances of an attack.
High blood pressure, kidney disease, diabetes, and heart disease. These health conditions make you more likely to have gout, especially if you donât get treatment. Work with your doctor to keep them under control.
Injuries or surgery. When your body is stressed or sick, youâre more likely to have a flare. Of course, you canât always avoid this trigger. But if you need to have an operation, make sure your doctor knows youâve had gout in the past.
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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
Medications For Acute Gout
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Key Points About Gout
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Gout causes inflamed, painful joints due to urate crystal deposits at the joints.
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Gout can also cause urate crystal deposits that cause lumps under the skin.
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Gout can be triggered by eating foods high in purines and drinking alcohol.
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Treatment of gout is aimed at reducing pain and the risk of future flare-ups.
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Gout can be managed with medicines and lifestyle changes.
What Causes Gout To Flare Up
Gout is a complex form of arthritis that can flare up suddenly and severely. It occurs as a result of having high levels of uric acid, which makes it easier for urate crystals to form. These sharp crystals can deposit in your joints, causing inflammation, swelling and pain.
“The most common trigger of gout is eating purine-rich foods, since high levels of purines can increase the amount of uric acid in your bloodstream,” explains Dr. Alam.
Gout-sufferers can help avoid flare-ups by avoiding foods rich in purines, including:
- Red meat
- Certain types of seafood, including tuna, scallops and trout
- Alcohol, particularly beer
- Fruit juices and other beverages that contain fructose
“Similar to rheumatoid arthritis, a flare-up of gout can be alleviated by using a cold compress on the affected joint, which helps reduce the inflammation that’s causing your pain, swelling and stiffness,” says Dr. Alam.
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The End Of Gout Your Fast Track Approach
Shelly Mannings The End of Gout is not only a fascinating read its also refreshingly practical.
Shelly gives you two simple quick-starts:
Eat more of these
Eat fewer of these
This simple adjustment can correct many years of gout-causing errors within your eating. And you can start on this straight within minutes of receiving the program away.That really helped my problem of What Causes A Flare Up Of Pseudo Gout.
The next step is to follow Shellys 7-day plan.
It tightens up the quick start advice and turns it into a solid, follow-along program.
The 7-day plan was the real clincher for me.
I am a pretty average cook Im competent but not at all skilled or adventurous. Turns out I didnt need to be.
The plan takes away all the thinking and gives me, for the first week, something I can simply copy.
After the first 7 days I used Shellys advice to adapt the plan according to my own tastes.
Which was pretty easy the plan is full of options so you can try different foods and see what you like best.
Its all food you can buy in your supermarket. And it includes lots of nice stuff the chocolate and strawberries desserts were real winners in my house!
What Is The Main Cause Of Gout
When it comes to what causes gout, higher levels of uric acid in your body may be caused due to various reasons including obesity, diet pattern, genetic reasons etc. Higher levels of uric acid are also termed as Hyperuricaemia. If you are more than the normal weight, then the fatty tissues in your body also enhance the production of uric acid in your body.
We also get lots of purines through our diet and it has been proven that around 15% of purine is sourced from our diets. Foods that are rich in purines, main gout causing chemicals include red meat, sugary beverages, asparagus, spinach, turkey, beer, herring and scallops.
Our body also produces its own uric acid and normally most of the excess ones are eliminated from our body, but in certain conditions, it is not able to eliminate the uric acid content thus increasing the levels of uric acid in the body. The reason why your body couldnt remove the uric acid may vary including obesity, being diabetic, alcoholic and consuming certain kind of diuretics.
Major factors that cause higher levels of uric acid in your blood include:
- Drinking too much alcohol
- Hypothyroidism
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About Uric Acid And Hyperuricemia
Now that you have known what exactly leads to the gout flare ups, you must have a brief idea of how the uric acid functions in the body. Uric acid is formed when the body breaks down the purines. The purines are a substance that can be found from certain foods that we eat, or are also available in the body cells. This amount of uric acid that is produced during the breaking down of the purines is eliminated from the body through kidneys or through urine. However, in some cases, people either produce too much of the uric acids or the kidneys fail to eliminate even the normal amount of uric acid that is produced. This is when hyperuricemia occurs and as a consequence, people get gout flare ups.
How Can I Manage My Gout And Improve My Quality Of Life
Gout affects many aspects of daily living, including work and leisure activities. Fortunately, there are many low-cost self-management strategies that are proven to improve the quality of life of people with gout.
For gout in particular:
- Eat a healthy diet. Avoid foods that may trigger a gout flare, including foods high in purines , and limit alcohol intake .
CDCs Arthritis Program recommends five self-management strategies for managing arthritis and its symptoms. These can help with gout as well.
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