Guide to Gout: What to Know About the Painful Condition

• Read original article here

Join Now
Experts believe the recent rise in gout cases is linked to the increasing prevalence of obesity and  high blood pressure . Being overweight and taking diuretics for high blood pressure are both risk factors for gout.
Risk also increases with age. An estimated 13 percent of men and 6 percent of women have the disease by age 75, according to research.
Men are twice as likely to develop gout, at least until age 60, because women’s hormones help protect them from the condition, says Jasvinder Singh, M.D., a professor of medicine and epidemiology at the University of Alabama Birmingham and director of rheumatology research at Birmingham Veterans Medical Center. After  menopause , women become more susceptible.
It brings on intense joint pain
Gout, one of the earliest recorded diseases, is caused by a buildup of extra uric acid in the body. The uric acid deposits crystals in the joints, causing swelling and extreme pain.
The most common joint affected is the one at the base of the big toe. But gout can affect any joint — including your ankle, knee or elbow — and when it does, you’ll know it.
“You’ll be normal, feel fine, and then you suddenly have this really intense pain,” says Philip Chu, M.D, a rheumatologist at Duke Health.  
AARP NEWSLETTERS
See All
See more Health & Wellness offers >
{"hideCategory":false,"useAlternateLanguage":false,"headlineIconAltText":"","listItems":[{"categoryTitle":"Health \u0026 Wellness","categoryUrl":"/benefits-discounts/?category\u003dhealthandwellness","categoryDeeplinkParam":"healthandwellness","isLimitedTimeOffer":false,"offerJson":{"offer_id":"","offer_title":"Special Content for Members","offer_short_title":"","offer_short_description":"Access AARP health Smart Guides, articles \u0026 special content","featured_offer":"","last_updated_by":"","offer_description":"\u003cp\u003eEnjoy access to curated articles, essays, films and more, just for AARP members.\u003c/p\u003e","redemption_type":"","created_by":"","country_code":"","tab_label_offer_details":"Details","tab_label_restrictions":"Disclosures","restrictions_label":"Disclosures","restrictions":"","offer_status":"","national_offer_flag":"","language_code":"","offer_type":"EverGreen","asi_category":"","line_of_business":"","merchant_name":"","marketing_details":"","member_exclusive_flag":"no","parent_brand":"","source_name":"AARP Members Only Access to Special Health Content","alternate_source_name":"","business_id":"","offer_video_thumbnail":"","image_url":"/content/dam/aarp/benefits_discounts/social-mission/member-only/1140x641-members-only-health-group-older-people-in-field-walking-yellow-flowers.jpg","vertical_image_url":"/content/dam/aarp/benefits_discounts/social-mission/member-only/258x334--members-only-health-group-older-people-in-field-walking-yellow-flowers.jpg","provider_image":"","provider_logo":"","offer_video_path":"","offer_copy_video_path":"","interstitial_title":"","interstitial_desc":"You\u0027ll leave AARP.org and go to the website of a trusted provider. The provider\u0027s terms, conditions, and policies apply.","created_user_role":"","is_no_end_date":"","advertisement_flag":"","advertisement_sort_order":"","disclaimer_label":"","disclaimer":"","merchant_logo":"","show_phone_number_above_cta":false,"merchant_phone_label":"","merchant_phone":"","howto_redeem_label":"How to Access","howto_redeem_expired":"Renew to Learn More","howto_redeem_expired_2":"Renew to Learn More","howto_redeem_expired_link":"https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew?campaignid\u003dUMBC121HE\u0026intcmp\u003dMBCHAE-AUTH-RENEW\u0026referrer\u003dhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.aarp.org%2Fbenefits-discounts%2Fmembers-only-access","howto_redeem_expired_link_2":"https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/renew","howto_redeem_non_member":"Join to Learn More","howto_redeem_non_member_2":"Join to Learn More","howto_redeem_non_member_link":"https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid\u003dUMBC121HE\u0026intcmp\u003dMBCHAE-AUTH-JOIN\u0026referrer\u003dhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.aarp.org%2Fbenefits-discounts%2Fmembers-only-access","howto_redeem_non_member_link_2":"https://secure.aarp.org/applications/membershipChallenge/showChallengeForm.action?appName\u003daccount","howto_redeem_anonymous":"Join to Learn More","howto_redeem_anonymous_2":"Join to Learn More","howto_redeem_anonymous_link":"https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid\u003dUMBC121HE\u0026intcmp\u003dMBCHAE-AUTH-JOIN\u0026referrer\u003dhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.aarp.org%2Fbenefits-discounts%2Fmembers-only-access","howto_redeem_anonymous_link_2":"https://appsec.aarp.org/mem/join?campaignid\u003dUASMBP1\u0026intcmp\u003dEWHERE-MBCHAE-LP-MMA-JOIN","howto_redeem_already_registered_anon_label":"Already a member?","howto_redeem_already_registered_anon":"Login now.","howto_redeem_already_registered_nonmember_label":"Already a member?","howto_redeem_already_registered_nonmember":"Link your membership","howto_redeem_already_registered_nonmember_link":"https://secure.aarp.org/applications/membershipChallenge/showChallengeForm.action?appName\u003daccount","howto_redeem_already_registered_anon_link":"https://login.aarp.org/online-community/loginform.action?campaignid\u003dUMBC121HE\u0026referrer\u003dhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.aarp.org%2Fbenefits-discounts%2Fmembers-only-access","howto_redeem":"Learn More","howto_redeem_2":"Learn More","howto_redeem_url":"https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/members-only-access","howto_redeem_url_2":"","show_redeem_cta_2":false,"howto_redeem_desc":"Get access now with your AARP login. ","is_redeemable_in_person":"","howto_redeem_in_person":"","howto_redeem_cta_phone":"","howto_redeem_phone_instructions":"","howto_redeem_online_instructions":"","show_state_availability":"","state_availability_text":"SEE AVAILABILITY IN YOUR STATE","cardlinked_flag":"","ty_interstitialText":"Thanks for visiting aarp.org! Come back again to check out all of the AARP Member Benefits and unlock the full power of membership.","ty_ctaText":"Continue","ty_socialMissionFlag":"false","hideRestrictionsTab":"false","hideLeavingAARP":"false","hide_lto":"","lto_model_heading":"Limited Time Member Offers","lto_model_heading_spanish":"Ofertas para socios por tiempo limitado","lto_advertisement":"Member Exclusive Advertisement","lto_advertisement_spanish":"Anuncios publicitarios exclusivos para socios","lto_daysleft":"Days Left","lto_daysleft_spanish":"Días restantes","geoloc_experience_type":"full_location","geoloc_tab_label":"Locations","geoloc_tab_label_spanish":"Ubicaciones","geoloc_hide_tab":"true","geoloc_find_location_label":"Find a Location","geoloc_find_location_label_spanish":"Encuentre una ubicación","geoloc_tab_hint_text":"Enter an address, city, or ZIP","geoloc_tab_hint_text_spanish":"Ingresa tu dirección, ciudad o código postal","geoloc_search_icon":"","geoloc_total_results_label":"Result(s)","geoloc_total_results_label_spanish":"Resultado(s)","geoloc_see_more_button_text":"See More","geoloc_see_more_button_text_spanish":"Ver más","geoloc_see_more_label_text":"See More","geoloc_see_more_label_text_spanish":"Ver más","geoloc_see_more_limit_option":"","geoloc_provider_link_cta":"Learn more about this benefit by visiting the provider website","geoloc_provider_link_cta_spanish":"Obtenga más información sobre este beneficio visitando el sitio web del proveedor","geoloc_provider_link_cta_url":"","geoloc_provider_legal_info":"You will leave AARP.org and go to the website of a trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions, and policies apply.","geoloc_provider_legal_info_spanish":"Dejarás el sitio de AARP y accederás al de un proveedor confiable. Aplican los términos, las condiciones y políticas del proveedor. Este sitio web podría no estar disponible en español.","geoloc_no_results_view_message":"There are no locations within a 100 mile radius. Please try another location","geoloc_no_results_view_message_spanish":"No hay ubicaciones dentro de un radio de 100 millas. Intenta con otra ubicación","geoloc_mobile_list_cta":"LIST VIEW","geoloc_mobile_list_cta_spanish":"VISTA DE LA LISTA","geoloc_mobile_list_cta_url":"","geoloc_mobile_map_cta":"MAP VIEW","geoloc_mobile_map_cta_spanish":"VISTA DEL MAPA","geoloc_mobile_map_cta_url":"","geoloc_mobile_button_cta":"VIEW MORE","geoloc_mobile_button_cta_spanish":"VER MÁS","geoloc_mobile_button_cta_url":"","geoloc_show_results_within_label_text":"Show results within","geoloc_show_results_within_label_text_spanish":"Mostrar resultados dentro","geoloc_miles_label_text":"Miles","geoloc_miles_label_text_spanish":"Millas","geoloc_hide_see_more_button":"false","geoloc_hide_see_more_button_spanish":"false","rewardId":"","hide_r4g_badge":"","redemption_content":"","authentication_code_provider":"","authentication_code_provider_2":"","pixel_view_offer_value":"","pixel_learn_more_value":"","is_redeemable_only_in_person":false,"offer_keywords":["health content for members","health articles","heath and wellness","health content","member only health ","health reports"],"offer_keywords_spanish":[],"deeplink_url":"/benefits-discounts/?offer\u003dmembers-only-access-health","deeplink_param_value":"members-only-access-health","offer_page_path":"/benefits-discounts/all/members-only-access-health/","offer_page_data":"/content/aarpe/en/home/benefits-discounts/all/members-only-access-health/_jcr_content/.dataview.json","offer_page_modal":"/benefits-discounts/all/members-only-access-health.modalview/","evol_offer_page_path":"/membership/benefits/health/members-only-access/","evol_offer_page_modal":"/membership/benefits/health/members-only-access/","dbr_offer_id":"9158e656e84ce8d55188b39247721643","image_alt_text":"two couples walking in a field of yellow flowers","vertical_image_alt_text":"older men and women couples walking in field of yellow roses","provider_logo_alt_text":"","provider_image_alt_text":"","offer_date_status":"n/a","image_url_width":"1140","image_url_height":"641","image_cdn_uri":"https://cdn.aarp.net/content/dam/aarp/benefits_discounts/social-mission/member-only/1140x641-members-only-health-group-older-people-in-field-walking-yellow-flowers.imgcache.rev7e7f93a5d03d1f30bcf1803a64811a61.jpg","vertical_image_cdn_uri":"https://cdn.aarp.net/content/dam/aarp/benefits_discounts/social-mission/member-only/258x334--members-only-health-group-older-people-in-field-walking-yellow-flowers.imgcache.revfd63427363b637f9f99bffbb7f2029de.jpg","vertical_image_url_width":"258","vertical_image_url_height":"334","provider_image_cdn_uri":"","provider_logo_cdn_uri":"","provider_image_width":"","provider_image_height":"","provider_logo_width":"","provider_logo_height":"","authentication_code_provider_url":"","authentication_code_provider_2_url":"","tags":[{"tagID":"dbr:healthandwellness","title":"Health \u0026 Wellness","svgPathCdn":"https://cdn.aarp.net/content/dam/aarp/benefits_discounts/icons/HealthWellness-protection e661.imgcache.rev5df459ddbe96856228fcb7f2b8a0d195.svg","name":"healthandwellness","deeplink_url":"/benefits-discounts/?category\u003dhealthandwellness","deeplink_param_value":"healthandwellness","get_offers_url":"/etc/aarp/dbr/ws.api/offers/healthandwellness.json","sub_tags":[]}],"ltos":[],"lto_daysleft_start_control":30,"master_brand":"members-only-access-health","analytics_brand":"AARP Members Only Access to Special Health Content","analytics_offerid":"members-only-access-health","category_list":"healthandwellness","subcategory_list":"","dbr_offer_type":"socialmission","offer_timing":"anytime","parent_offer_page_path":"","append_aid_paramter":"","enable_utm_parameters":"false","taxonomy_general_category":"healthy-living","taxonomy_level_1":"healthy-eating"},"parentOfferJson":{}}]}
To diagnose gout, a doctor will do bloodwork to check your uric acid levels or take a fluid sample from the painful joint and look for urate crystals.
Gout attacks, called flares, usually last several days to a week. Anti-inflammatories, steroids or a medication called colchicine can ease pain during that time.
How to prevent gout attacks
After the first attack, some patients may not experience a second one for five to 15 years, Singh says. But the third one will usually happen faster, within six months to a year. Over time, the attacks become more and more frequent.
Without treatment, gout attacks can cause stiffness, disabling joint pain, nodules that form under the skin called tophi, and eventually, permanent bone or joint damage.
Lifestyle changes such as losing weight,  giving up alcohol  and switching to a healthy diet may help prevent gout attacks. Drinking low-fat milk and eating low-fat cheese can reduce uric acid levels. And your doctor may recommend avoiding beer, seafood, sugar-sweetened juices and red meat (especially organ meats) because they are high in purines, a chemical that can incite a flare.
Lifestyle changes alone are unlikely to combat or reverse gout, however. For most patients, the best way to prevent future gout attacks is to take a uric-acid-lowering medication such as allopurinol or febuxostat, Singh says.
The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) recommends the medication for patients who have had at least two flares in a year, or who have had one flare but also have high uric acid levels, certain kidney issues, tophi nodules or evidence of joint damage.
AARP Membership — LIMITED TIME OFFER Labor Day Sale
Join AARP for just $9 per year when you sign up for a 5-year term. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine.