Causes of Gout

First off, what is gout? It is a painful condition that develops and caused when uric acid settles into soft tissues and/or the joints in the body. Uric acid is a waste product that when deposited into the body, are as uric acid crystals. These crystals become lodged and then can cause a condition called inflammatory arthritis. This can then cause redness, pain, stiffness in the joints and swelling.

It is estimated that over six million adults have signs and symptoms of gout at some point in their lives. Middle aged men are more at risk and more likely to develop gout than are women. Also, persons who have been through an organ transplant are more at risk.

What Causes Gout?

Hyperuricemia, (high level of uric acid in the blood), is a root cause and reason that signs and symptoms of gout may develop. There are several different contributing risk factors that can be causes of gout, also called podagra. The reasons that this arthritic and swelling condition can develop include factors such as diet, alcohol consumption, weight, genetics, gender, age, medications and other health issues.

Four Stages of Gout:
1. Asymptomatic hyperuricemia - elevated levels of uric acid in the blood,
2. Acute gout, gouty arthritis - the hyperuricemia causes uric acid crystal deposits in joints and leads to quick development of joint swelling and intense pain,
3. Interval or Intercritical gout - period of time between gouty arthritis attacks with no symptoms
4. Chronic tophaceous gout - worst stage of symptoms and comes about over an extended period of time. Once the condition reaches this stage, it could have caused long-term damage to joints.

This is a brief overview of the causes of this medical condition, with many other factors and concerns that can come into play. The information on this page is not a substitute for professional medical help. See your doctor or healthcare professional for complete information on this uric acid condition.

Also see:
• Uloric febuxostat gout drug review
• Juice detox information   

Resources:
• Q&A about Gout: www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Gout/default.asp
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gout