Gout

It is a very painful and disabling form of arthritis.

Cause:

• Excess of uric acid due to impaired functioning of the kidneys.
• Too much of uric acid results in formation of crystals in the joints making them extremely painful.

Diagnosis:

Often it is difficult. A straight forward identification can be the detection of uric acid crystals in the joints. Often high uric acid in the blood can be quite misleading and may have nothing to do with gout.

Treatment:

Colchicine has been the standard treatment. However, often treatment of gout can be complicated due to other medical conditions.

Note:

Some medicines have side effects that increase uric acid in the blood. This may result in precipitation of gout.

Compiled by: Indrajit Sinha, Last updated: 02.12.07 © Medhospital Foundation

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