Symptoms, Treatment, Prevention, and More
Tophaceous goutis a severe form of gout.
It results when uric acid crystals form, leading to growths calledtophiaround the joints and tissues affected by gout.
Tophaceous gout can affect any joint or soft tissue area in the body.
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It can be painful and lead to damaged joints and disability.
This article will cover the four stages of gout, symptoms, causes, treatment, and more.
The four stages of gout are:
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DermNet /CC BY-NC-ND
DermNet /CC BY-NC-ND
Asymptomatic Hyperuricemia
Asymptomatic hyperuricemia is the beginning stage of gout.
This is when uric acid builds up in the blood.
This early gout stage causes no joint pain, redness, or swelling.
Even so,uric acid blood testswill be elevated.
Uric acid forms into urate crystals and starts to collect in the joints.
High uric acid levels are not enough to diagnose gout.
Many people with hyperuricemia never develop gout.
Symptoms of a gout flare include pain, redness, and joint swelling.
Attacks in this early stage may last a few days and improve.
The flare might be accompanied by chills or fever.
This is the time to start long-term treatment.
Future gout flares and complications of the condition can be prevented by lowering uric acid levels with medications.
You will also need to adjust your diet and make additional lifestyle changes to prevent future flares.
Tophi under the skin can be painful and get infected.
Fortunately, due to effective treatment options, chronic tophaceous gout is rare.
Inflammation leads to:
Chronic gout can lead to additional symptoms and problems.
It may take days or weeks to fully recover from a flare.
Chronic gout causes masses of uric acid (tophi) to form under the skin.
The number of tophi present will vary based on location, size, and number.
Symptoms associated with tophi include:
Tophi can cause severe damage to joint and bone tissue.
What Causes Tophaceous Gout?
Gout comes up whenever uric acid levels in the blood are too high.
Typically, the kidneys flush out uric acid through urine excretion.
When uric acid levels are high, some uric acid can be deposited as urate crystals in the joints.
Microscopic examination of tophi deposits can confirm a diagnosis of chronic tophaceous gout.
Additional tests to confirm or rule out gout might include:
How Is Tophaceous Gout Treated?
There is no cure for tophaceous gout, but the condition is manageable and treatable.
It can be treated with medications, lifestyle modifications, and surgery as a last resort.
Your healthcare provider can also prescribe additional medicines to treat flares.
confirm you are following your healthcare providers advice and treatment instructions.
Physical activity can reduce pain and the potential for disability from gout.
Low-to-moderate physical activity has been found to reduce uric levels.Aim for 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activity.
Consider activities that are easy on the joints, such as walking and swimming.
You should eat a healthy diet, stay hydrated, and avoid foods high in purines.
You should also limit alcohol and not smoke.
Summary
Tophaceous gout is the most severe form of gout.
Urate crystals develop into lumps called tophi, which form under the skin over joints and nearby tissues.
Tophi can be painful and lead to joint lining inflammation, bone loss, and cartilage damage.
Making these changes can help prevent gout from becoming chronic and the formation of tophi.
Gout progression can be prevented and does not have to become chronic or cause tophi.
Once tophaceous gout is identified, you could start treatments to get uric acid levels under control.
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