Gout

Gout

Gout is a result of uric acid getting deposited in body tissue and manifests itself in attacks causing joint inflammation. When gout becomes chronic, hard lumps of uric acid around the joints and can effect kidney function. Nearly 1 million people in the U.S suffer from gout or gouty arthritis. The condition is much more common in men than in women.

Gout arthritis is most often found at the base of the big toe. Other common joints affected by gout include ankles, knees, wrists, fingers, and elbows. Symptoms will include acute pain, swelling, redness and tenderness. An attack of gout can be severely painful and last anywhere from hours to days.  The condition will usually relieve itself without medication, but will often recur chronically throughout one’s life.

Determining Gout from other arthritic conditions is best left to a physician. Depending on how and where you describe the pain a physician can tell if you are suffering from gout or another more serious condition such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. Gout usually appears in one joint at a time as opposed to these multiple joint attackers. Gout can also be diagnosed by analyzing joint fluid and testing the amount of uric acid crystals present. X-Rays are also helpful when diagnosing gout because they are able to spot bone damage and uric acid deposits.

Preventative measures can taken to reduce the acuteness and prevalency of gout attacks. Most are simple such as weight reduction, proper fluid intake, altering diet, reducing intake of alcoholic beverages and starting to take certain prescription medications.

The uses of medications to treat gout are threefold. The goals behind the regiment are to reduce pain, reduce inflammation, and keep the gout symptoms from progressing by reducing the levels of uric acid in the blood. Physicians have several options when prescribing medications to treat gout so sufferers should take advantage of a doctor’s expertise even if they are only noticing minor symptoms of gout.

Arthritic Conditions

Arthritic Conditions

Arthritis means pain within a joint and is the leading cause of disability in America. It knows no age, and is a blanket diagnosis for a number of conditions.  Currently, Arthritis has no known cure but there are many forms of treatment available to help ease the discomfort associated with arthritis.

When it comes to the foot and ankle, there are three types of arthritis known to effect the area.  They are Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Post-Traumatic Arthritis.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition and becomes more noticeable to the sufferer at the onset of middle age.  During one’s life the cartilage in the lower extremities can become worn and frayed. This can cause swelling, joint pain, and inflammation. Osteoarthritis will most likely worsen over time.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is different than Osteoarthritis because this form of Arthritis attacks the entire system and the degenerative properties of the cartilage stem from the body’s own immune system.

Post Traumatic Arthritis occurs following some type of injury that leaves behind some form of scar tissue. It may due to a fracture, extreme sprain, or ligament tear. These type of injuries are very common but over time the remnants of the injury can produce arthritic symptoms.

The use of custom foot orthotics can provide some relief for those who are suffering from Arthritis. Custom orthoses will stabilize the foot and ankle and provide heel and arch support. This will bring the foot and ankle into alignment and help reduce the discomfort related to arthritis. It is important to seek the advice of a doctor if you believe you are suffering symptoms of foot and ankle arthritis.