Gout Disease: Causes, Symptoms, and Rising Cases
Gout is one of the earliest known diseases of the human body. However, it is still largely misunderstood. As a condition that is often blamed as a self-inflicted disease caused only by overindulgence in food or alcohol. Gout is now affecting millions of people worldwide. The number is still rising. Latest health news statistics show that stigma and misinformation still prevent many patients from getting the right treatment they need.
A Terrible Disease That Has Been Misunderstood for a Long Time
Gout was the first medical condition that Kyle Edmondson associated with his 20s after he could not understand the night’s foot pain following a night out with friends. Until doctors finally gave the right diagnosis years later. His symptoms were continually regarded as minor injuries. The attacks happened so frequently that, on some occasions, the pain was so severe that even the lightest touch was unbearable. Kyle was eventually diagnosed with gout by a physician after years of suffering.
Such stories as that of Edmondson are many. Patients experiencing gout flare-ups may be misled by the temporary nature of their symptoms. Doctors may also be so deceived that they underestimate the severity of the disorder.
Higher Gout Incidence Reasons
The occurrence of gout has globally raised by more than 20 percent since 1990. The United States is home to over 12 million people suffering from gout. The risk of men getting gout is 4 times higher than that of women. It is partly due to the fact that estrogen protects against high urate levels.
The experts point out that the increase in the resoundingly correlates with the rise in obesity, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, and chronic kidney diseases. At the same time, genetic factors play a notable role. Research shows that genes contribute a lot more to the changes in uric acid levels than diet alone. This, in turn, challenges the long-accepted idea that gout is mostly caused by one’s diet.
For example, certain populations like the Polynesians or the Hmong people have a higher genetic predisposition to gout. This implies that this disease should not be considered solely as a result of lifestyle choices.
What Exactly is Gout?
Gout is a condition that develops when urate (usually called uric acid) builds up in the blood. The substance is generated when purines are broken down. Purines are not only natural in the body but are also present in a variety of foods. The excess urate that the kidneys cannot get rid of is the one that crystallizes. It causes the common gout symptoms and that is why inflammation and pain in the affected joints are the most severe ones.
Moreover, gout that is not properly treated may lead to permanent joint damage. The formation of hard lumps known as tophi even if the periods of the disease may seem to be transient.
Differences in the Quality of Medical Care and Social Stigma
Gout is a common disease, yet only about one-third of patients are prescribed urate-lowering drugs. Even among the people who get such prescriptions, there are many who are given doses that are too low to be effective. The spread of lies on the internet has made things worse. Social media content is often in favor of muy restrictive diets or herbal treatments while it is silent about the use of well-established medications such as allopurinol.
Medical guidelines recommend using long-term urate-lowering treatment in cases of repeated gout, especially if patients have frequent attacks, suffer from renal diseases, or have bladder stones. Though it requires some time and effort to change doses, on-going treatment can prevent new gout attacks and joint damage.
The Significance of Nutrition: Helpful but Limited
By far, the most common trigger for gout attacks is diet which particularly involves overeating of alcohol or meat, thus, making celebrations dangerous. Despite that, doctors insist that the main culprit is not diet. Long-term purine-free diet alone could, in fact, worsen one’s metabolic health.
In fact, medical professionals recommend more sustainable approaches such as weight loss and following heart-healthy dietary patterns like the DASH or Mediterranean diet. Besides helping to control gout, they also promote good health.
Living Gout
If adequately treated, gout will not cause you any major problems. Edmondson, who is presently taking medicines on a daily basis and is regularly checked, has not experienced an episode for several years. His story is an example of a bigger truth that is becoming clearer in the field of health nowadays: gout doesn’t have to rule your life if you handle it right.
Gout is one of the painful yet treatable diseases whose heavy burden can be lessened by living stigma-free, raising awareness, and placing evidence-based care at the forefront.
