Gout is a disease that can interfere with your daily activities. How come? The joints will usually feel very painful when gout has a recurrence. With various treatments, can uric acid be cured? Find the answer in the discussion below.
Causes of Uric Acid Disease
Gout is caused by a buildup of urate crystals in the joints. The presence of urate crystals causes considerable pain in joints such as knees and fingers. The buildup of urate crystals is because your body has high levels of uric acid in your bloodstream.
Actually, uric acid is a natural substance produced by the body. Uric acid will appear when it breaks down purine substances that also come from your body. Under normal conditions, uric acid can disappear on its own by dissolving into the blood, passing through the kidneys, then out through the urine.
On the other hand, purine substances also appear in the food you consume. Examples of foods high in purines are red meat, organ meats, anchovies, sardines, shellfish, and alcoholic beverages. Excessive consumption of high-purine foods causes urate crystals to accumulate, while the kidneys only secrete small amounts of uric acid. This high-purine food causes gout.
The accumulated urate crystals have a sharp, needle-like sensation in the joint tissue. As a result, gout sufferers will experience pain, soreness, inflammation, and swelling in the joints. Uric acid examination is needed to detect whether uric acid levels are within normal limits or not.
Can Uric Acid Disease Be Cured Totally?
Unfortunately, gout cannot be cured. Once a person begins to suffer from gout, the condition will stick with him for life.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also said that currently there is no drug that can treat gout. The various drugs available are only useful for reducing the frequency and level of pain in the joints when gout recurs.
Overcoming Uric Acid Recurrence
Uric acid that suddenly recurs can be overcome. Here are some ways to lower uric acid that you can do:
Use cold compresses to compress the painful joints. Wrap ice in a thin towel and apply it to the joint for 20 minutes several times a day. However, do not use this method if you have nerve problems from diabetes or other causes.
Next, you can rest the joints until the pain subsides. Elevate the joint on a pillow or other soft object.
Drink enough water. If you don’t drink enough water, uric acid levels rise even higher.
And lastly, don’t forget to take medications that have been prescribed by a doctor.