Homeostatic Imbalances of the Skeletal System: Gout

Disease: Gout
Common Name: Gout
Age of Onset: There is no exact age of onset for Gout. Gout is a disease that can affect any person, male or female, of any age.
Duration: There is not an exact period of time during which the disease occurs. When one contracts the disease, is more easily characterized by flare ups, which can occur weekly, monthly, or even annually. Pain from Gout flare ups, in untreated, can last for up to 10 days.
Common in Males/Females? Because Gout is characterized by the formation of urate crystals in and and around the joints, an individual with more uric acid in their blood would be more susceptible to Gout. Since men have higher uric acid levels in their blood, they are more likely to have Gout. However, after menopause, the uric acid levels in women begin to approach those of men, making them more susceptible to this disease. Gout it often found in the obese and those who abuse alcohol.
Cause: Gout is caused byt the formation or urate crystals around joints in one's body. Urate crystals are formed by excess uric acid in the blood. Often in genetic cases of Gout, the body naturally produces excess uric acid, which can lead to Gout as a young child. Also, improper kidney function often plays a major role in Gout because the kidneys fail to rid the body of the excess acid. Over consumption of purine containing foods such as mushrooms, anchovies, and asparagus can also lead to some forms of Gout. The body breaks down purines into uric acid in the digestive process.
Symptoms: Symptoms of Gout are very easily recognizible. One may feel intense, acute joint pain, accompanied by swelling and redness of the area. Gout usually attacks the large joints in the body and the symptoms usually occur at night.
Prognosis: Gout is not a life-threating disease. Often in those who's body naturally produces high levels of uric acid, it is possible to live with and manage the disease -keeping flare-ups to a minimum. However painful Gout can be, it is not life-threating and is managable.
Treatment: There are no drugs that will simply cure Gout. There are, however, several medications that can be used to help manage the pain associated with this disease. NSAID pain relievers such as Ibuprofen work to help control join inflammation and pain associated with Gout. Steroids also effectivly work to control the inflammation of Gout however have more negative side affects such as decreased immune function and thinning bones.