4 Hidden Dangers of Gout: Why It Deserves More Attention

Do you experience a throbbing pain in your big toe in the morning characterized by redness and swelling? This could be a result of a condition called gout. A gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis caused by the deposition of monosodium urate crystals (i.e., an excessive amount of uric acid turns into monosodium urate crystals).

Gout is an often-overlooked disease that can cause painful, swollen joints, usually in the big toe. Many people categorize it as just another type of inflammation. However, the reality is more severe, as this condition is a temporary problem. It could be a warning sign of hidden health conditions lurking inside. Here, you’ll learn about the hidden dangers of gout and why it deserves more attention.

Causes/Risk Factors of Gout

Gout occurs due to excess uric acid in your blood, which forms sharp crystals in the joints that can cause severe pain. While these painful flare-ups are the most known symptoms of gout, there can be other severe effects on your entire body. If untreated, it can lead to permanent joint problems. Here are the common causes of gout.

• Dietary Factors: Foods like red meat, shellfish, and alcohol can increase uric acid levels and cause gout.
• Genetics: A family history of gout significantly increases the risk.
• Medications: Diuretics, aspirin, and some other drugs can trigger hyperuricemia.
• Increasing age and menopause: Although gout is more common in men, menopausal women can develop this condition due to decreased levels of estrogen. This is because estrogen helps flush out excess uric acid in the body. Consequently, this can lead to the accumulation of uric acid in the bloodstream and the formation of crystals in the joints.

The Hidden Dangers of Gout

• Kidney stone: When uric acid levels are elevated, the kidneys struggle to excrete it effectively through urine. If uric acid remains in the kidneys for too long, it can crystallize in the urine. These crystals can then clump together to form kidney stones.
• Atherosclerosis: This is the buildup of fats in the walls of arteries, which can disrupt blood flow. Fluctuating levels of uric acid, which occur in gout attacks, can induce inflammation in the coronary arteries. This can lead to the development of atherosclerosis.
• Heart attack and stroke: An accumulation of uric acid induces inflammation all over the body. It can also cause vasoconstriction and oxidative stress, triggering cardiovascular conditions by disrupting blood flow to the brain and heart.
• Hypertension: Gout can cause hypertension by impairing nitric oxide production. Nitric oxide (NO) is an essential compound that helps blood vessels relax and maintain effective blood flow. However, high uric acid levels reduce NO production, leading to the narrowing of blood vessels. This causes high blood pressure.

How to Manage Gout

Managing gout involves a combination of lifestyle changes to reduce uric acid levels, alleviate symptoms during flare-ups, and prevent the dangers associated with it. Some effective strategies to manage gout include:

• Decrease inflammation in your body: You can do this by limiting your intake of foods like margarine, meat, soybean, peanut oil, etc.
• Limit alcohol intake: These include beer and spirits, as they raise uric acid levels and trigger flare-ups.
• Make lifestyle changes: This involves maintaining a healthy weight, staying hydrated, and engaging in regular physical activity.
• Use of pain-alleviating supplements: The best joint supplements contain ingredients that deliver potent antioxidant protection, ease gout pain, and prevent flare-ups. NATURE’SFIELD JOINT RENEW MSM POWDER is specifically produced to support joint health and alleviate gout symptoms.

Therefore, managing gout with NATURE’SFIELD JOINT RENEW MSM POWDER offers a natural approach to managing uric acid levels, reducing inflammation, and preventing painful flare-ups. When combined with a healthy diet, regular exercise can help improve the overall quality of life for people living with gout.