Gout in men: causes, symptoms and treatments

To date, gout is commonly considered a fairly common problem. This disease is the result of a violation of normal metabolism and leads to the deposition of salts of uric acid in the joints. Statistics also confirm that gout is much more often diagnosed in men, while women suffer from this ailment about 20 times less often. So what are the causes and symptoms of the disease?

Gout in men and its causes

As mentioned above, the disease is associated with a disruption of uric acid metabolism , as a result of which its compounds, in particular sodium urates, accumulate in the articular bag, leading to joint inflammation and acute pain attacks.

In some cases, the cause of the disease is increased formation of uric acid. But sometimes the level of this metabolic product in the human blood corresponds to the norms - this means that the disease is the result of various kidney diseases, as a result of which the excretory system can not cope with its basic functions.

Signs of gout in men

Immediately it is worth noting that this disease most often affects the big toes, and sometimes the hands. Nevertheless, inflammation of the elbows and knee joints can occur. Less often, urate crystals accumulate in the ankle joints.

Gout is a chronic disease in which periods of relative calm are suddenly replaced by severe exacerbations. It is worth noting that the deterioration of the patient often occurs against a background of malnutrition or strong physical strain.

Inflammation of the joint is accompanied by severe pain, which prevents movement. Along with this, redness and swelling of the skin are observed - these are also symptoms of gout in men. At the initial stages of the development of the disease, the attack lasts several days, after which it passes by itself. A few months later, there is a repeated exacerbation.

Gradually, periods of relative calm virtually disappear - patients are constantly suffering from joint pain. The accumulation of a diseased amount of uric acid salts leads to a gradual destruction of the articular cartilage. In addition, urate crystals can be deposited under the skin, forming noticeable nodules of white or yellowish color.

In more severe cases, salts begin to be deposited in the tissues of the kidneys, which leads to the development of pyelonephritis, or urolithiasis.

Gout in men: treatment methods

Therapy depends on the severity of the disease. In times of aggravation, the doctor's task is to relieve the main symptoms. For this purpose, anti-inflammatory ointments and pain medications are used. Many patients are prescribed drugs that accelerate metabolism and excretion of uric acid.

But the disappearance of the main symptoms does not mean that the disease has receded. And the only way to avoid another exacerbation is to carefully monitor the level of uric acid. It is gout in men that is treated mainly with the help of the right diet. In particular, it is recommended to exclude meat, fatty fish, caviar, liver, lungs and kidneys from the menu. You should also limit the amount of some vegetables, including sorrel, asparagus, spinach, cauliflower, radish, eggplant, mushrooms and legumes. People with a similar diagnosis are also contraindicated in alcoholic beverages. Most often, proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle help to get rid of the main signs of gout for a long time.