By Tim Gorman
Gout was in the past always seen as a disease of the rich. Very often when people talk about this disease they have an image of a large mustachioed gentleman sitting by a fire with a large cigar and a glass of port. This is because one of the causal factors is if the diet is high in very rich foods such as meats, cream and wine and when the disease was first diagnosed; it was wealthy people that usually consumed these foods. Although it can be caused by regular consumption of the rich foods, it can also be caused by exposure to lead, excessive consumption of alcohol and by medications that inhibit the patient's ability to remove uric acid from the body.
Gout is a condition that occurs when the body’s ability to remove uric acid is inhibited. This means that the uric acid can crystallize in the blood and builds up in the joints. This can cause a great deal of pain and also the stiffness and swelling of the joints. The disease affects about 2 million people in the United States, generally around middle age. Some people are more prone to the disease if they have a family history of this or other diseases such as diabetes or obesity.
Treatment for gout is usually based around trying to lessen the quantity of uric acid in and around the joints. This is important to prevent the joints from being damaged permanently. Very often anti-inflammatory drugs are used to lessen the swelling and are usually effective in reducing the pressure on the joints. These medicines are usually best taken soon after the symptoms arise for maximum efficiency. If you think you may have the symptoms and wish to find out more about the treatments the best person to ask is your doctor or health care specialist. They will be able to give you an examination and if necessary a list of the appropriate treatments.
Many doctors believe that one of the best ways to prevent gout is to have a healthy diet and exercise regularly and drink plenty of water. Also it is thought to be best to avoid rich foods, especially those that contain large amounts of purin, such as red meat, sardines or cream and excessive alcohol consumption. It is not a pleasant condition, but with common sense and the right treatments gout should not be too much of a hindrance to you living life to the fullest.
Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Health-Fitness-Solutions.com. He provides more gout relief tips and information on what is good arthritis medication that you can research in your pajamas on his website.
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