Gout

Gout is a painful type of arthritis that most often affects the joint at the big toe. The highly trained physicians at Mid-South Foot & Ankle Specialists in Atoka, Cordova, and East Memphis, Tennessee, provide comprehensive care for gout attacks, including diagnosis and treatment. To get help with your gout pain, call the office nearest you or schedule an appointment online today.

What is gout?

Gout is a type of arthritis that causes joint inflammation and pain when deposits of sharp, crystallized uric acid settle in a joint. 

Uric acid is a byproduct of the breakdown of purines, which are chemicals found in your body and certain foods and drinks. Usually, your kidneys remove uric acid from your blood and get rid of it in your urine.

However, if your body makes too much uric acid or your kidneys can’t eliminate it in your urine, uric acid blood levels build up. When you have too much uric acid in your blood, it crystallizes and settles into the joint, causing inflammation and pain.

Though gout may affect any joint in the body, it most often affects the joint in the big toe.

What are the symptoms of gout?

When you have a gout flare-up, also called a gout attack, you develop severe, sudden pain in the affected joint. Other gout attack symptoms include:

• Swelling
• Inflammation
• Stiffness
• Tenderness
• Warmth

A gout attack may last up to two weeks. You don’t have any symptoms outside of these flare-ups. Without treatment, gout attacks may last longer and occur more frequently.

What happens during a gout evaluation?

When you visit Mid-South Foot & Ankle Specialists for a gout attack evaluation, you can expect a patient-centered exam. Your provider asks detailed questions about your medical and family history and examines the affected joint.

They may request bloodwork or imaging tests to confirm the pain and swelling you feel in your toe is due to gout.

What are the treatments for gout?

Treatment for gout includes medications to reduce pain during an attack and lifestyle modifications to prevent or reduce the frequency of future attacks. For your gout attack, Mid-South Foot & Ankle Specialists provides medications or injections to ease pain, swelling, and inflammation.

To prevent gout attacks, your provider may recommend drinking plenty of fluids, avoiding foods high in purines (alcohol, organ meats, shellfish), and regular exercise.

If you continue to have gout attacks, Mid-South Foot & Ankle Specialists recommends you schedule an appointment with your primary care provider for maintenance treatment that may include taking a prescription medication daily.

For help with a gout attack, call Mid-South Foot & Ankle Specialists or schedule an appointment online today.