Types of Gout

Gout is a very painful form of arthritis that affects the lower extremities of the body - particularly the big toe. Gout is caused by uric acid when it becomes built up in the blood stream to excessive levels and turns into hardened crystals or "urate crystals" that form in the area of the joints.

This condition is very painful to the sufferer and can last only a few hours in mild cases or up to as many as several weeks with soreness and pain continuing for a month thereafter. Left untreated, gout can cause severe damage to joints, cartilage, tendons and other tissues of the body.


Primary Gout and Tophi

There are two main categories of gout that include primary gout and secondary gout. When gout develops on its' own with no definitive or known cause for the build up of uric acid, it is referred to as primary gout. This type of gout primarily affects men between thirty and sixty five years of age but can affect women after menopause.

Primary gout attacks are usually acute and typically occur twice per year on average. This type of gout is typically caused by an excessive amount of uric acid being produced or when the kidneys fail to excrete the uric acid in a rapidly enough or a combination of both of these factors.

The condition known as "tophi" occurs in the advanced stages of primary gout and is when the urate crystals develop in one joint or multiple joints and also develops in the urinary tract often causing the formation of kidney stones.

Tophi can also affect other parts of the body including the bones and these uric crystal deposits can actually become large enough to break through the sufferers skin. This advanced stage is extremely painful and can cause the joints to deform to such an extent that it is disabling to the individual who suffers from it.


Secondary Gout

The most common type of gout is secondary gout that is typically caused when taking certain medications or when undergoing medical treatment such as chemotherapy but can also be caused by alcohol or an excess of purines that can be found in certain foods including trout, codfish, mackerel, anchovies, scallops, haddock, sardines, herring, mussels, bacon, gravy, kidney, goose, veal, mincemeat, liver, and venison.

Secondary gout is known to affect both women and men on an equal basis and occurs primarily in individuals who are sixty five years of age or older.


Asymptomatic gout and Inter-critical gout

When an individual has an excess amount of uric acid in the blood stream but without any of the painful symptoms normally associated with gout, this condition is called asymptomatic gout, however, when this condition reaches the later stages it can cause the symptoms of acute or painful joints.

Intercritical gout is when an individual has the condition of gout having suffered the symptoms in the past but is not experiencing them at the present time as they are in between attacks. Even if you have experienced any of the symptoms of gout and they have subsided or disappeared, you should schedule an appointment with your doctor as this condition typically will reoccur and can progress in severity over time.