The NHS has shared four warning signs after a rise in cases of gout across the UK.
Gout is a type of arthritis, commonly associated with being prevalent during Victorian Britain. However, there has been a resurgence of the illness as the NHS estimates approximately 250,000 people have been admitted to hospital with gout over the course of 2021-22 - as Mirror Online reports.
Cases have risen by 20% in the last three years. Official NHS guidance says an attack of gout usually lasts between five and seven days and then gets better, and it may not cause lasting damage to joints if you get treatment immediately.
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The main four symptoms to look out for include: sudden severe pain in your joint (usually the big toe, hands, wrist, elbow or knees); hot skin; swollen joints; and redness over the affected joint. Ways to help prevent gout include getting to a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet and having alcohol-free days.
Gout is known as the "disease of Kings" and many in the medical profession still believe gout is caused by overconsumption. However Dr Alastair Dickson, a GP and trustee of the UK Gout Society, said this is a misconception.
He told Mail Online: "There’s a lack of awareness that it is inherently a genetic disease." A report in the journal Lancet Regional Health - Europe in May discovered that only a minority of UK patients are given preventative medication within 12 months of diagnosis.
One of the report’s authors, Dr Mark Russell, NIHR research fellow at King’s College London, told Good Health: "Without preventative treatment, flare-ups tend to become more frequent over time and can develop into a chronic arthritis that never fully settles.
"Long-term treatment with urate-lowering medications such as allopurinol prevents attacks and joint damage in people with gout and improves quality of life."
If gout isn’t treated, it can recur often and multi flare-ups can also lead to tophi, which are large deposits of crystals beneath your skin that can cause joint damage and deformity.
Causes of a gout flare up include:
Older age
Being male at birth
Obesity
Diet high in purines, which are broken down into uric acid in your body
Alcohol use
Sweetened beverages, sodas and high fructose corn syrup
Medications including diuretics, low dose aspirin, some antibiotics prescribed for tuberculosis, and cyclosporine
Attacks of gout are usually treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) such as ibuprofen. However, if the pain continues, you may be prescribed steroids as tablets or an injection.
To prevent coming back, you shouldn't eat offal, such as kidneys or liver, or seafood, or have lots of sugary drinks and snacks. Fatty foods should also be avoided and you shouldn't drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week, and spread your drinking over three or more days if you drink as much as this.
If you experience symptoms, it is important to see a doctor as soon as possible for proper diagnosis and treatment.
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