Other people will start having gout attacks on a regular basis. After a first gout outbreak, 75 percent of people will have a second one within a year; but some people may go years before another attack, Dr. The intermediate stage is “when a person has already had a gout outbreak but doesn't currently have any joint pain or swelling,” he says. The gout may come back every few months, or it may take years.
It may come back more often if left untreated. There are times when symptoms exacerbate (worsen) or go into remission (when there are no symptoms). Repeated episodes of gout can cause gouty arthritis, a form of arthritis that gets worse. An acute gout attack usually peaks between 12 and 24 hours after onset, and then begins to resolve slowly even without treatment.
It takes approximately 7 to 14 days to fully recover from a gout attack (without treatment). If you have more than one gout outbreak per year, it's very important that you take a gout medication regularly, says Dr. Gout was known as a “disease of the rich,” since only the rich could afford to eat a diet rich in foods that could cause gout, said Dr. Erdal Diri, a rheumatologist at Trinity Health.
Over time, gout can start to affect more joints throughout the body and cause problems such as gout, tophus, and permanent bone damage. The big toe is a known site of gout attacks, but gout can affect many different joints throughout the body. Medications to lower uric acid levels, known as urate reducing therapy (ULT), are generally recommended if you have recurrent attacks of gout or if you have complications from gout. A person with gout should also talk to their doctor if their gout attack lasts longer than usual or if symptoms worsen.
It is important to note that gout and infection can coexist in the same joint (they are not mutually exclusive) and the possibility of sending joint fluid for culture should be considered even in patients with an established history of gout if they are at risk of infection. Treatment for gout includes pain relief to help you cope with a gout attack, as well as medications and lifestyle changes to prevent new attacks. However, the progression of gout is certainly not inevitable, which is close to the best news any patient with gout can hear. Most people with gout will eventually need to have a ULT, so you may want to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this treatment with your doctor as soon as you've been diagnosed with gout.
While 50% of all first gout attacks occur on the big toe, gout can occur in many other joints, including the hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders, knees, and ankles. As you become familiar with the symptoms of gout, you may feel that a gout attack is coming. While eating foods high in purines can contribute to high levels of uric acid, many experts believe that the role of diet in the development of gout is overemphasized. While most patients will have high levels of uric acid in their blood for many years before having their first gout attack, treatment is currently not recommended during this period due to the absence of clinical signs or symptoms of gout.
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