Pain can be so intense that even the weight of your bed sheet can be intolerable. Unless treated, gout attacks can occur repeatedly, eventually causing harm to joints and tendons. It is essential to get this condition under control, not only to prevent pain, but future damage as well—not to mention to ensure a good night’s sleep!
Your body naturally produces uric acid when breaking down proteins in your blood. Sometimes, too much acid is produced or too little is excreted, and it begins to accumulate in the blood. When this happens, sharp and painful crystals form in your joints and surrounding tissues, eventually triggering sudden attacks of pain that linger for hours, and sometimes even days or weeks.
Other risk factors to be aware of include family history and side effects of certain medications. Medical conditions left untreated can be contributors as well, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart or kidney diseases. As you grow older, your chances grow too, especially if you are male. Knowing these risk factors and treating underlying issues can go a long way toward managing your condition before it gets out of control.
If you have experienced the pain from an acute attack, you know that you don’t want to endure it again. Seek an appointment with our specialist Dr. Mary K. Benjamin-Swonger in Scottsdale, Arizona to discuss treatment options and ways to decrease the risk of recurrence.
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