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Gouty Arthritis (Gout): What is it? What hormones affect it? Diabetes? Treatment for Gout? Lifestyle changes? Purines and non-veg?

Gouty arthritis, usually called gout, is a type of arthritis which manifests as swelling and severe pain in joints, typically the big toe. It is caused by the accumulation of uric acid crystals in the joints. Uric acid is produced by the decomposition of purines, which are found in certain foods and also occur in our body through natural processes. When there is an overproduction of uric acid and your kidneys cannot filter them out of the blood, crystals can form in the body, leading to inflammation and pain, especially in the joints.

Hormones like insulin and estrogen play a crucial role in those with gout. People who have high levels of insulin (obese people, diabetics, and people with other metabolic disorders) tend to also have high levels of uric acid, albeit the mechanism is still not very well-understood in the medical world. On the other hand, estrogen works in the opposite way, people with high levels of estrogen tend to have lower risks of gout: a possible reason for why post-menopausal women have high occurrences of gout.

Gout can have a significant impact on the life quality of the people with the disease: joint damage and deformities caused by gout attacks can affect the ability to move and life a leisurely lifestyle. Along with that, people who develop gout tend to develop other metabolically affected disorders, such as hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes, if the person does not already have diabetes from before their diagnosis.

Gouty Arthritis is treated through both medical methods and lifestyle changes. For the medical treatment, NSAIDs are used, which stands for Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs. They reduce pain and inflammation in the body during extreme, painful gout attacks. Colchine is also administered in some cases, it is an anti-inflammatory medication which is used to prevent and treat the attacks. The most commonly prescribed medicines however, would most likely be Uric acid lowering drugs like Allopurinol and Febuxostat.

Lifestyle changes with gout typically involve consuming less foods with purine in them: red meat, organ meats, some types of seafood, and most other non-vegetarian foods. Along with that, alcohol (especially beer) is typically eliminated in an ideal lifestyle for gout patients to manage uric acid levels. People are also advised to increase their consumption of water to promote the excretion of excess uric acid from the blood.

Gouty arthritis is a manageable condition, and whilst it is not easy to treat, it is simple. It involves simple repetitive lifestyle changes like reducing meat consumption, exercising more (to treat diabetes and prevent future gout attacks) and drinking more water. Lifestyle modifications and consumption of medication can allow people with gout to live normal lives.

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