Gout

The Center for Primary Healthcare

Doctors of Medicine & Adult Nurse Practitioners located in Orland Park, IL

Gout affects 8 million Americans in the United States, or 4% of the population, rising to 10% within the senior population. With this chronic condition, uric acid crystal build-ups cause severe and debilitating pain. The incidence of gout has been increasing sharply in most western countries in the last decades, and often goes undertreated, leaving patients suffering unnecessarily. At The Center for Primary Healthcare, our goal for gout patients is to eliminate your gout flare ups. William Crevier, MD, helps men and women living in Orland Park, Illinois, manage their gout symptoms and prevent breakouts. If you think you’re experiencing gout, schedule an appointment with the office today on the phone or online.

708-231-1400

Gout Q & A

What is gout?

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Gout is a painful form of arthritis that often begins in the base of the big toe. Gout occurs when uric acid in your blood starts to build up, causing crystals to form in your joints, and provoking severe pain and inflammation. Unfortunately, the uric acid crystal deposits are able to reactivate acute inflammatory responses, setting patients up for future gouty flares in the future.

What are the symptoms of gout?

Gout typically comes in the form of an acute attack of shooting pain often beginning in the joint at the base of the big toe. You might also experience any of the following symptoms:

Swelling
Red skin
Tenderness

During extreme attacks of gout, you might not even be able to touch the inflamed joint area due to tenderness. A breakout often starts with the big toe and moves to other joints in the wrists, knees, ankles, elbows, and fingers. Untreated gout can result in permanent joint damage.

If you suffer from a gout attack, you can experience symptoms for several hours or several days. The pain from gout can be excruciating, so don’t wait to delay care. Give us a call at The Center for Primary Healthcare. We can help you reduce this pain and develop a treatment plan to eliminate gout.

How is gout treated?

Effective gout treatment involves the reduction of uric acid levels in the blood. Many medications can contribute to raising serum urate levels, so a careful review of your medications is necessary. Your kidney function also needs careful evaluation, as the excretion of uric acid by your kidneys is crucial.

Acute gout attacks can be treated medically with anti-inflammatory medications. Medications such as Allopurinol, a xanthine oxidase inhibitor, are also available to address the flare-up. Unfortunately, all the gout medications that have been developed can (paradoxically) also cause gout flare ups. A better option than medication is available.

Great news! You can put your gout into remission through adjustments in your diet.

Our Fresh Weigh program can help you put your gout into long term remission. Unlike medications, treatment of your gout through food addresses the fundamental cause of your gout. Through the use of a ketogenic diet, beta-hydroxybutyric acid (BHB) is produced, which serves to reduce inflammation. Other dietary measures have also been demonstrated to have a significant impact on reducing gout flare-ups.

Red meat, particularly organ meat and seafood, both high in purines, are to be avoided. Alcohol and fructose--a carbohydrate found in many sugary drinks should be eliminated. Vitamin C at 500 mg orally, per day, has been found to reduce gout. Also, cherry juice, while not helpful for all people, has been found to be very effective for some patients.

Learn about the most up-to-date treatments for gout and get your pain under control. Schedule an appointment with The Center for Primary Healthcare online or by phone today.

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