Brilio.net - If you think that gout is only experienced by older people, that's a big mistake. Gout can also attack people of productive age. Reporting from ttsh.com, many gout sufferers are only 20-30 years old. This disease attacks young people because of a less active lifestyle and excessive consumption of foods high in fructose and purine.
Uric acid is actually a substance produced from the process of breaking down proteins or purines in the body. This process commonly occurs in the metabolic system. Uric acid is formed as a natural antioxidant that is beneficial for the body, as long as its levels are within the normal range. In men, normal uric acid levels are in the range of 2.5-7.0 mg/dL. Meanwhile in women, uric acid is said to be normal if the level reaches 1.5-6.0 mg/dL.
Excessive uric acid can cause problems eliminating waste in the kidneys. If the body produces excess uric acid, kidney stones can form and cause obstruction of the urinary tract. This can lead to chronic kidney disease. Apart from that, uric acid can also cause arthritis which results in permanent joint damage or disability.
Gout cannot be left alone. To minimize the impact of this disease, you must understand the symptoms, causes, and how to prevent gout. Brilio.net has summarized from various sources, Wednesday (12/6) the symptoms, causes and ways to prevent gout so that you can carry out prevention and treatment as early as possible.
Symptoms of gout.
photo: freepik.com
According to nih.gov, the most common symptom of gout is joint pain. Many people first feel gout, for example in the big toe. However, gout usually also attacks other joints. Gout attacks often appear suddenly at night and make it difficult for you to sleep. Additionally, the joint may feel swollen, red, and warm.
Gout attacks are usually triggered by food, alcohol, drugs, physical trauma, or certain diseases. If gout is not treated for a long time, it can result in the development of tophi. Tophi is a buildup of needle-shaped crystals that cause hard lumps to form under the skin around joints and other organs. Tophi initially causes no pain, however, over time the disease can cause pain and bone damage as well as soft tissue and joint deformity.
In general, the symptoms of gout can be summarized as follows:
- Frequent joint pain.
- Inflammation and redness.
- Movement becomes limited.
- Fever.
- The body feels weak.
Apart from pain, gout patients can also experience complications such as:
- Hypertension (high blood pressure).
- Chronic kidney disease.
- Obesity.
- Diabetes.
- Nephrolithiasis (kidney stones).
- Myocardial Infarction (heart attack).
- Congestive heart failure.
Causes of gout.
photo: freepik.com
Gout is caused when a substance enters the body and accumulates and forms needle crystals in the joints. This causes aching pain, swelling, and redness. There are several factors that can increase the risk of gout, including:
- Have a family history of gout.
- Experiencing menopause.
- Increasing age.
- Drink alcohol.
- Consume drinks with high sugar content, such as soda.
- Unhealthy diet and consuming foods rich in purines, such as meat.
Prevention of gout.
photo: freepik.com
The way to prevent uric acid from attacking your body is to limit foods and drinks that contain high purines. Apart from that, make sure you drink lots of water to help your kidneys function better and avoid dehydration. Exercising is also a form of preventing gout and reducing stress on joints.
Apart from that, regular exercise can prevent you from obesity which causes gout to appear. You can also reduce the risk of gout by avoiding alcohol, especially those high in purines such as beer or wine, which can increase the risk of gout. Smoking can also increase the risk of gout and its complications. Quitting smoking can help prevent gout symptoms.