Gout is the oldest and most common form of arthritis. It is the most painful form of arthritis. Uricemia and gout is caused by uric acid crystals formed in the body.
Deposits of uric acids are formed under the skin and they look like lumps. The uric acid deposits form in the joints, especially the big toes. It can also be caused by kidney stones in the kidney, made of uric acid crystals.
The symptoms are stiffness, redness, swelling and heat. It can affect alot of the joints, including the big toes, and ankles, knees, wrists, fingers and elbows.
Certain risk factors such as excessive alcohol use, can affect a person risk of getting gout. People who have hypertension or high blood pressure, diabetes, narrowing of the arteries and high cholestoral levels and fats in the blood are all risks for getting gout.
Medications such as low doses of aspirin as well as thiazide diuretics, used to treat hypertension, can increase risks of getting gout. Complications include gout attacks, or gout which reoccurs, kidney stones formed by urate crystals, and advanced gout can cause tophi, which are deposits of urate crystals, which can become swollen and tender during gout attacks, but are not painful.
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