Gout

Gout is a form of arthritis that occurs when there is a buildup of uric acid in the joint, leading to an inflammatory response. It can lead to a sudden onset of severe pain, swelling, redness, and tenderness in joints.

While gout can affect any joint, it most commonly occurs in the joint at the base of the big toe. At Kimball Health Services, our primary care providers and orthopedic team offer comprehensive and personalized care to treat gout and manage its symptoms, helping you lead a happy, pain-free, and active life.

Causes of Gout

Gout occurs due to high levels of uric acid in the blood. Normally, uric acid is eliminated from the body, but in people with gout, it accumulates and crystallizes in the joints.

Uric acid is a chemical created when the body breaks down purines - substances that are found naturally in the body and in certain foods and drinks. Some people develop gout when their kidneys do not adequately remove uric acid from the body, or when their body produces too much uric acid.

Risk Factors of Gout

Several factors that can increase the level of uric acid in the body and the chances of getting gout include:

Dietary choices: Consuming a diet high in purines, found in foods such as red meat and shellfish, increases uric acid levels and the risk of gout.
Age & gender: Gout is more common in older adults. Moreover, it affects men more often than women due to lower uric acid levels in women, which rise after menopause.
Genetics: A family history of gout increases the likelihood of developing the disease.
Medications: Certain medications, such as diuretics and drugs containing salicylate, can raise uric acid levels in the body.
Weight: Excessive weight can cause the body to produce more uric acid and make it harder for the kidneys to eliminate it.
Health conditions: Certain conditions, such as untreated high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome, and heart and kidney diseases, increase the risk of gout.
Alcohol consumption: Drinking alcohol, especially beer, raises the risk of gout as it interferes with the removal of uric acid from the body.

Symptoms of Gout

Gout symptoms occur in episodes called flares or gout attacks, which are often very painful and can happen suddenly, typically overnight.

Common symptoms of gout include:

Intense joint pain
Tenderness in the joint
Discoloration or redness in the joint
Swelling and inflammation in the affected joint
Limited range of motion due to pain and swelling
Recurrent acute attacks of pain and inflammation in one or more joints

These symptoms are usually seen in the big toe but may also occur in joints of ankles, knees, elbows, wrists, and fingers.

Diagnosis of Gout

Diagnosing gout involves a physical examination of the affected joint and an assessment of your symptoms, along with several other tests. These include:

Blood test: Measures the level of uric acid in blood.
Joint fluid test: A sample of fluid from the affected joint is drawn using a needle and examined. Urate crystals may be visible when the fluid is examined under a microscope.
Imaging tests: X-rays and ultrasounds can be used to rule out other causes of joint inflammation and to detect uric acid crystals around affected joints or within growths.

Treatment of Gout

The treatment of gout involves a combination of medications to manage symptoms and lower uric acid levels, along with lifestyle changes for long-term management.

Medications

Medications for gout work in two ways. They help manage pain, inflammation, and other symptoms of the disease, and they help lower uric acid levels in the body to prevent flare-ups and gout attacks from occurring.

Medications to relieve gout symptoms: These include medications such as NSAIDs, colchicine, and corticosteroids to reduce joint inflammation and relieve pain.
Medications to prevent gout attacks: These include medications that prevent uric acid production and medications that improve the kidney’s ability to remove uric acid from the body.

Lifestyle Modifications

Long-term management of gout also involves adopting certain lifestyle modifications, including:

Healthy weight management
A diet low in purines
Proper hydration by drinking plenty of water
Limited alcohol intake
Avoid sugary drinks and foods high in fructose

Managing Gout with Kimball Health Services

At Kimball Health Services, our primary care providers and orthopedic team provide personalized medical care and guidance to treat gout and other types of arthritis.

As one of the top critical access hospitals in the nation, we pride ourselves on delivering high-quality, patient-centered care.

In case of an emergency, call 911 or walk into our emergency department anytime. For appointments, call us at 308-235-1966 or fill out our online form. We're here for you whenever you need us.