Gout, known as the disease of kings and the rich, was also a genetic disease of Ottoman sultans such as Suleiman the Magnificent and Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror. Nowadays, it can frequently be seen in men over the age of 40 and women who have entered menopause due to deteriorating eating habits. Those who are overweight, diabetic, those who live under intense stress, and those who consume alcohol are also in the risk group.
Although it is a rheumatic disease, it is characterized by attacks triggered by excessive consumption of red meat, offal, and shellfish. As the level of uric acid in the blood increases, uric acid crystals accumulate in joints such as the big toe or ankle. Attacks usually develop suddenly and rapidly. The first attack often begins after a heavy dinner rich in red meat. If a sheet touches your foot at night, you may wake up with an unbearable pain. Along with the pain, there is also redness, swelling and increased temperature.
In addition to excessive consumption of red meat, heavy alcohol use, wrong diets and some medications such as diuretics cause an increase in uric acid in the blood. Uric acid crystals accumulate in some tissues besides the joints. It especially causes stone formation in the kidney.
The disease has different periods. A period in which the blood uric acid level rises but you do not have any complaints and painful attacks occur, and a later period in which attacks become more frequent and the pain becomes permanent and can cause permanent damage.
Checking the uric acid level during your health check-ups is important for diagnosis. After diagnosis, nutrition regulation and weight control are the basic principles, in addition to drug treatment. Apart from red meat, alcohol, nuts, excessive fatty foods, excessive consumption of legumes and fatty dairy products should be avoided as much as possible. Losing weight will reduce the load on the joints, but losing weight quickly, wrong diet practices and excessive protein consumption may trigger attacks. Consuming water will prevent the crystals from precipitating. It is especially important.
As long as we pay attention to all these, the frequency of attacks will decrease and maybe even disappear.
By the way, do not forget to smile. Please, take deep breaths, spend time with your loved ones, and value yourself and your body more than you value your belongings. Remember that this body is entrusted to us..
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