DEAR DR. GOTT:
I am a 70-year-old male and have been tortured by gout since about my 50th birthday. I have been to several doctors and most prescribed a limited diet, excluding fish and red meats. The attacks are becoming more frequent and occur in a different spot each time.
Please tell me who to see to get to the bottom of this agony.
DEAR READER:
Because gout affects joints, it is considered to be a form of arthritis. It frequently affects the big toe, but can also appear in wrists, ankles, knees, elbows, and other joints.
Gout results when too much uric acid is present in the body. Excessive alcohol consumption, radiation, crash diets, and certain medications can trigger an attack.
Because gout can mimic several other conditions, a primary care physician might have difficulty making an initial diagnosis. When doubt remains, the physician might have a sample of the joint fluid tested to determine if any uric acid crystals are present.
Dietary changes are vital. Foods high in purines (shellfish, alcohol, organ meats, and more) should be avoided. Alcohol should be substantially reduced or eliminated altogether. Cherries, dried, fresh, or in juice form consumed daily are purported to prevent attacks and should be included in the diet. If an attack occurs, cherries help reduce the pain and its duration. Positive lifestyle changes include weight reduction, control of cholesterol levels and treatment of hypertension. This may help keep this extremely painful condition at bay.
When these recommendations don’t work, medication might be necessary and there are several types from which to choose. Some are taken shortly after an attack has begun, while others are taken regularly as a preventive measure.
To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “About Gout”. Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed, stamped, number 10 envelope and $2 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.
About Dr. Gott