So, you want to know what causes your gout attacks? Gout attacks can be hereditary or non-hereditary. Either way, the main cause is a build up of uric acid in your system. The uric acid either doesn’t get filtered through the kidneys and excreted in the urine efficiently, or you just produce too much!
When the excess uric acid builds up, it turns into monosodium urate crystals and settles in the joint and the fluid surrounding the joint. As we mentioned in the Gout Attack post, the agonizing pain is then caused by your bodies own white blood cells, which are sent to the site to fight the crystals. Your immune system is working perfectly well!
Heredity and Gout
Heredity comes into play if your family has a history of gout, as well as other health problems, such as diabetes, hypertension, and being overweight. I found some good research on purine metabolic disease, which explains the hereditary causes of gout, and I will be doing another post on this later.
Foods That Cause Gout
One of the main causes of gout is your diet. Eating foods rich in purines, which produce uric acid, can lead to problems. Some of these foods are:
- Alcohol, especially beer
- Caffein drinks
- Chocolate
- Red meat
- Pork
- Lamb
- Processed meats, such as bacon and hot dogs
- Shellfish/seafood
- Foods, such as bread, made with yeast
Other Gout Causes
Other situations that may cause a gout attack are:
- Stressful events or an illness
- Dehydration
- Injury to a joint
- Fever
- Surgery
- Chemotherapy
Medications That Can Cause a Gout Attack
Some medications that can cause problems are:
- Aspirin
- Niacin (nicotinic acid)
- Diuretics (thiazide)
- Cyclosporine
- Medications for tuberculosis
In Conclusion
So the causes of gout aren’t simple. Keep in mind also that gout can cause serious health problems, such as kidney stones, permanent damage to your joints, and painful deposits of tophi which can become infected
If you have a gout attack, it’s a good idea to see your doctor to discover what the underlying problem is and get it under control.
Do you know what is causing your gout? Share it with us. . .
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