Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Treatment

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• Gout
• Gout is a chronic auto inflammatory disease with
  regular acute flares which causes severe pain
  and joint inflammation. It mainly occurs due to
  high content of uric acid in the blood, this
  leads to accumulation of uric acid crystals in
  the joints and surrounding tissues that causes
  inflammation. It is a type of arthritis that
  affects the common joints such as big toe, ankle
  and knee.
• Causes of Gout
• It is caused by excess uric acid in the body that
  leads to the development of monosodium urate
  crytal deposits in the joints.
• Uric acid is a natural waste product that
  generates from the foods that contain purines. In
  a normal person uric acid is flushed out through
  the kidneys and passes out in urine. If you
  consume foods which are high in purine, your
  body sometimes cannot get rid of this by-product
  and uric acid will build up in the blood. When
  the level of uric acid is high it is known as
  hyperuricemia and it may lead to the gout.
• Gout is caused by different factors such as diet,
  genetics, obesity, stress, high consumption of
• alcohol, medications. It also happens with people
  who have other healthy issues like diabetics,
  heart failure, kidney problems, and hypertension.
• The extra uric acid forms crystals that are sharp
  and pokey causes joint pain and swelling.
• Symptoms of gout
• Apart from inflammation, swelling and pain, acute
  gout attacks very fast with intense joint pain
  within 8 to 12 hours.
• Gout first occurs in legs or feet and often
  affects a single joint mainly the joint of big
  toe.
• You may find redness in the skin over a joint.
• Might experience mild fever and chills
• You may have pain in your back and side
• Gout may also cause kidney stones.
• Lumps of urate crystal deposits formed under the
  skin.

How is gout diagnosed?
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• Your doctor will ask to do few tests like
• Joint fluid tests a fluid sample is taken from
  the affected joint and examined under a
  microscope
• to find the urate crystals. Some infections may
  have similar symptoms like gout, in such cases,
  the doctor may check for bacteria in joint
  fluid.
• Blood test blood test is done to find out the
  level of uric acid in the blood. Sometimes these
  tests are confusing because some patients may
  have high uric acid level and they never
  experienced gout. And for some patients they
  have symptoms of gout but they do not have high
  level of uric acid.
• ray imaging x rays help in finding out if there
  is any other inflammation in the joints.
• Ultrasound and CT scan this technique is used to
  detect urate crystal in the joint or in a tophus.
• Treatment for gout
• Acute gout will last within 3 to 10 days with or
  without medicines. Some may get only once in
  their lifetime and some may get repeatedly due
  to their change in diet or any other health
  issues. For acute gout, medicines are given to
  reduce inflammation and pain because they do not
  have any high uric acid levels. If the level of
  gout is high then long term medication is must to
  maintain the uric acid levels.
• For acute level of gout
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication is
  given.
• To relieve from pain and inflammation oral
  medication- Colchicines is given.
• Hydration
• For life time chronic gout
• Need to do lifestyle modifications by avoiding
  alcohol, reducing protein intake, reduce weight
  if you are obese.
• Long term medications are given to maintain uric
  acid level in blood. You may sometimes need to
  continue medicines even if your gout is better
  because there can be low lying inflammation
  between attacks. The crystal deposits can become
  big in size and eventually become hard and it may
  damage the joint. So the medicines will help you
  to maintain the uric acid levels.

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Prevention of gout To treat and prevent acute
gout, medication is the most effective way that
can prevent recurrent attacks. However, by
making certain lifestyle changes may help in
prevention of gout such as Completely avoid
alcohol, avoid cool drinks and juices with sugar,
Instead high intake of fluids and
water will help. Reduce intake of foods which
are high in purines like red meat and sea foods.
Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy
weight. Conclusion Gout is a serious and painful
problem which cannot be cured completely. It is a
long term disease that can only be controlled
with the combination of medicines to control the
uric acid level and anti inflammation drugs to
control the flare- up. By lowering the levels of
uric acid in the blood most people do not
develop the fourth and most disabling stage of
the disease.