The Good News about Gout Management

Posted on 3 September, 2021 by Go Out

The Good News About Gout Management

“Good” may not be the first word that pops into your mind when you think of gout. Sore, stiff joints aren’t anyone’s idea of a good time. But there is one thing about gout that’s truly good. Unlike some other forms of joint discomfort, it can be reversed — if you catch it early enough.

Gout and Uric Acid

The key to managing gout is lowering uric acid, which causes the flare ups.

Uric acid forms when your body processes chemicals called purines, which are naturally produced by the body and found in many foods. For most people, this is no big deal, as their bodies excrete uric acid through urine. But for some unlucky folks, something goes awry, causing uric acid levels to get too high.

Why does this happen? In about ten percent of people with elevated uric acid, the body simply produces too much of the stuff. In the other 90 percent of cases, though, the kidneys don’t excrete enough uric acid, allowing it to build up in the bloodstream and form uncomfortable crystals in the joints.[1]

Gout vs Other Forms of Joint Discomfort

What makes gout different than other joint issues is the source of the discomfort. With most joint conditions, discomfort stems from damage. By the time these sorts of joint problems make themselves known, the joint cartilage has already been worn away. With gout, though, discomfort — at least in the initial stage — comes from uric acid crystals. Permanent damage to the joints has not occurred yet; dissolve the crystals, and you dissolve the discomfort.

This is great news because it means you can do something about it! (Conversely, if you ignore gout and just hope it will go away, it can eventually damage both the cartilage and bones in your joints.)

https://go-out.life/blogs/articles/good-news-about-gout-management