One of the commonest questions asked is What Is Gout? How and why do gout attacks occur and what can you do for gout pain?

Gout (or gouty arthritis) is a very painful condition that happens when a common body waste product - uric acid, ends up in the wrong place. Uric acid is produced when you eat purine rich foods and normally passes out of your body in urine. When there is excess of uric acid (hyperuricemia), your body stores it as small sharp needle like crystals in your joints and soft tissue. Unfortunately some people experience a severe reaction where the affected joints go on to become swollen, inflamed and very painful - a particularly nasty form of arthritis.

The most commonly seen gout attacks affect the big toe (podagra) but can also occur in areas like knees wrists elbows and fingers. Tophi, or chalky clumps of uric acid crystals, can surround a joint causing permanent crippling damage in long term gout sufferers.Kidney stones are also a risk with uric acid crystals clumping inside the kidneys.

Gout Causes

A number of risk factors are associated with gout. They include:

• Family History. Around one fifth of people with gout have a family history.

• Overweight. Being overweight significantly increases the risk of developing excessive uric acid and gout

• Alcohol. Excessive alcohol can lead to hyperuricemia, as alcohol directly interferes with the removal of uric acid from the body.

• Diet. Eating excessive amounts of purine rich foods can cause or aggravate gout.

• Health Problems and Medication. Kidney problems, high blood pressure and an under active thyroid are common health problems prone to excess amounts of uric acid retention. Medication such as aspirin and diuretics also increase gout risk.

How Is Gout Treated?

Gout is controllable and the more severe damage can be prevented with careful attention. When an acute gout attack occurs the first goal is easing pain and inflammation. This usually requires anti-inflammatory medication such as cortisone or non steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAID's) such as Naprosyn or a special medication called Colchicine.

The next step is reducing uric acid in the body with long term medication such as Zyloprom (allopurinol). Weight loss programs and diets low in purines and alcohol also help avoid hyperuricemia.

If you or a loved one you care for are gout sufferers then you need to learn more about what is gout and how best to manage it. An excellent gout resource well worth reading is Lisa McDowell's Cure Gout Now.