Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis caused by the accumulation of urate crystals in joints, tendons and surrounding tissues. Various factors including genetics, lifestyle, and food habits influence hyperuricemia that triggers gout attacks.
Gout usually manifests in the form of some classic symptoms like pain in the toe. However, there could be some other symptoms that you may fail to notice because of their subtlety.
Here is a list of gout symptoms that you might be ignoring.
Pain In The Knees, Ankles, Elbows Or Wrists
There is a greater chance for the deposition of urate crystals in the joints of the big toe but that does not mean that the crystal deposition could only occur in the toe joints. It could happen in any joint in our body. What this indicates is that unexplained pain in any joint may be a sign of gout.
While some people develop pain in just one joint, about 25 percent of people develop gout in more than one joint. Polyarticular(in more than one joints) symptoms complicate the condition even more because gout may mimic other joint conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.
Pain Flares
Gout pain reaches the maximum severity within a duration of up to 24 hours. The patients may be completely fine when they go to bed but might wake up in the middle of the night because of severe pain. The intense flares of pain characteristic of gout dissipate within a few days or weeks. However, leaving the condition unattended will increase the frequency of gout flares and worsen the condition.
Fatigue
Fatigue is common between gout flares. You will feel as if all your energy is drained out and the situation reminds you of a time when you had flu. The flares can be so exhausting that you might take a few days to recover fully.
Lumps Around Your Joints
Lumps around the joints called tophi are more evident in chronic gout patients, meaning that you must have already noticed several signals already. Tophi are not permanent deformities. They can be dissolved with appropriate treatment.
Intense Pain You Experience During The Middle Of The Night
The likelihood of gout flares is two times more during the night (between 12 a.m and 8 a.m) than during the day. Lower body temperature and dehydration at night lead to faster accumulation of uric acid crystals.
If you are noticing any of the above symptoms, do not ignore them. Consult a physician at the earliest.
