Why You Must Treat Gout
But when gout is not treated appropriately or if a sufferer encounters flare ups for a longer period of time, gout can have more serious consequences such as damage to the cartilage and bones in the joint.
Gout is a chronic condition that has the capability to leave the sufferer in severe pain and discomfort and can cause lasting damage to the body's joints and all its component parts - the bones, cartilage, tendons and surrounding tissues.
This permanent damage happens when gout is not taken care of and is allowed to develop into a stage of the disease called tophi.
Gout occurs when too much uric acid builds up in the blood and crystallizes and tears away at the bones and cartilage in the joints.
In the tophi stage, the uric acid builds up to such an extent that it can lead to malformation and misshapeness in the bone and can even accumulate along the spine and lead to spinal compression.
The damage from not treating gout properly is not just limited to the joints, however.
It can also cause great harm to the kidneys.
The crystals from the excess uric acid can also develop in the urinary tract and lead to kidney stones.
While kidney stones can happen to anyone, it has been reported that it is twice as likely to happen to someone who already suffers from gout.
Sufferers of gout have also been found to have a higher likelihood of developing kidney disease.
However, other studies have shown that many patients with kidney disease actually had the kidney disease first, and the kidney disease then led to the formation of gout.
Regardless, gout and kidney disease go hand-in-hand.
Gout has also been found to lead to a few other ailments such as high blood pressure, obesity, and heart conditions such as congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease.
Those who have heart problems have been found to have a greater chance of their condition becoming fatal if they also suffer from gout.
Gout has also been reported to lead to high cholesterol, respiratory problems (as a result of the buildup of uric acid in the lungs), and eye problems such as cataracts.
As you can see, gout can have serious consequences if left to its own devices and not treated properly.
If you suffer from gout, make sure you consult a medical professional and take the appropriate care before your joint pain becomes something much greater.
Gout is a chronic condition that has the capability to leave the sufferer in severe pain and discomfort and can cause lasting damage to the body's joints and all its component parts - the bones, cartilage, tendons and surrounding tissues.
This permanent damage happens when gout is not taken care of and is allowed to develop into a stage of the disease called tophi.
Gout occurs when too much uric acid builds up in the blood and crystallizes and tears away at the bones and cartilage in the joints.
In the tophi stage, the uric acid builds up to such an extent that it can lead to malformation and misshapeness in the bone and can even accumulate along the spine and lead to spinal compression.
The damage from not treating gout properly is not just limited to the joints, however.
It can also cause great harm to the kidneys.
The crystals from the excess uric acid can also develop in the urinary tract and lead to kidney stones.
While kidney stones can happen to anyone, it has been reported that it is twice as likely to happen to someone who already suffers from gout.
Sufferers of gout have also been found to have a higher likelihood of developing kidney disease.
However, other studies have shown that many patients with kidney disease actually had the kidney disease first, and the kidney disease then led to the formation of gout.
Regardless, gout and kidney disease go hand-in-hand.
Gout has also been found to lead to a few other ailments such as high blood pressure, obesity, and heart conditions such as congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease.
Those who have heart problems have been found to have a greater chance of their condition becoming fatal if they also suffer from gout.
Gout has also been reported to lead to high cholesterol, respiratory problems (as a result of the buildup of uric acid in the lungs), and eye problems such as cataracts.
As you can see, gout can have serious consequences if left to its own devices and not treated properly.
If you suffer from gout, make sure you consult a medical professional and take the appropriate care before your joint pain becomes something much greater.
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