Gout Attack!

Yesterday I treated a patient who woke up with his big toe red and swollen.  It was so sore, he couldn’t touch it.  After making an urgent appointment, we were able to diagnose that he has gout!

Gout is a condition where the body breaks down protein, or urate crystals, into its primary parts and those smaller components then deposit themselves near a joint, most commonly the large toe.  It causes severe pain that usually takes seven to ten days to resolve.  It is not unusual to see flare-ups around the holidays when people consume large meals and there is a lot of protein to be digested, or in people whose kidneys do not clear the body of this protein breakdown.

The prevalence of gout appears to be increasing. It is currently estimated to be affecting over 6 million Americans.You should see one of our podiatrists for pain relief and appropriate management.

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