Gout Medical Treatment
Gout is a disease triggered by excess uric acid in the blood, which builds into crystals in your joints and causes rubbing, inflammation, and severe pain. The condition usually affects the big toe, and the symptoms start suddenly in the middle of the night. However, the symptoms may begin at any time and in any other articulation.
Treatment of gout usually involves reducing uric acid levels in the bloodstream, which can be done with drugs known as anti-hyperuricemic agents. Examples of such medications are allopurinol and febuxostat. These medications are often referred to as urate-lowering therapy (ULT). In addition to these medications, some patients may need to be treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to relieve the pain. The most common side effects of the anti-hyperuricemic agents include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, kidney stones, skin rashes, and allergic reactions.
In cases of severe gout, surgery may be required to remove uric acid crystals from the joint and support the affected joint. In such extreme cases, patients may develop progressive damage to the joint and deformation, which can be fixed with a surgical procedure.