Waking in the night with sharp pain and a reddened, swollen big toe is a classic story for victims of gout attacks. Doctors don't know why gout attacks come on at night but they consider it a primary indicator of the disease.
Gout Attacks Explained
Unlike other forms of arthritis, gout usually only attacks one spot at a time. Furthermore, almost every person who suffers with this condition has had it in the big toe. Gout is a very selective form of arthritis.
A great deal has been learned about gout since medieval days when it was called the "disease of kings." Since diets that include large amounts of meat, seafood and wine have been linked to gout, the reputation of being a rich man's disease was probably accurate until the 1950s. Today it is still a man's disease as middle-aged men are the most likely to experience it. Although it is not unheard of for a woman to suffer from gout attacks, they rarely do.
The pain of gout attacks is caused by the build up of extremely thin needle-shaped crystals of uric acid in either connective tissue, a joint, or both. Uric acid is a metabolic by-product of the body that normally sheds without collecting in one spot.
When uric acid collects in the elbow, knee, ankle or toe, the skin becomes swollen, red, and hot to the touch. The 3 to 10 days it takes for gout attacks to subside often severely limits activities since the pain can be crippling. Once the uric crystals have dissolved, additional gout attacks may not be experienced for years.
Triggers of Gout Attacks
Stress, illness, alcohol and drugs are all possible triggers for a gout attack in people who have uric acid conditions. The predisposition for high levels of uric acid in the body, called hyperuricemia, seems to be inherited. Diagnosis is confirmed if urate crystals are found in the synovial fluid removed from the inflamed area.
Treatments involve pain control and preventative measures against uric acid concentrations reoccurring. A person with gout is also prone to kidney stones, so treatment plans often include measures to prevent their formation also.
Prescriptions are no longer needed for the anti-inflammatory drugs or corticosteroids that are the standard treatment for gout attacks but it is important to get information concerning the proper dosage from your doctor before taking them. Pain relief is usually quick, once treatment is begun. Gout attacks no longer incapacitate people like they did in the past.
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References:
UCLAHealth.org
Arthritis.About.com
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