By Lisa McDowell

Though the crystallization of uric acid in the joints is the cause of gout, it is not something that will be obvious right away. The signs and symptoms may or may not show up for years before pain is felt. There are some signs symptoms gout sufferers might experience that might not be thought of as part of this condition right away, and are often related to a painful flare up.

Gout may not be diagnosed until flare up occurs. Many times they will show up and be confused with something else before more telling signs show, and a doctor then might know to look for gout.

When a gout flare up is about to occur, a person might have a wide range of symptoms. These are common to may different conditions, and someone with these might think they are getting the flu or are just feeling under the weather.

Some people have similar feelings after eating or drinking too much of the wrong things, and they may just think the feelings are a result of that. They may experience dehydration and may have had an injury in a joint area. Surgery or stress can bring about a flare up, so if someone has just experienced either, they should look for the secondary signs.

Right before the flare up occurs, a patient will notice something is going on up to twenty-four hours before the pain sets in. Having a fever is very common, and this might also come with having the chills. The chills are often a direct result of fever, as the body is too hot and the air feels cooler on the skin. The problem with this is that those symptoms can mean almost anything, and they might not be attributed to a gout flare up until a person knows that they do indeed have gout.

When someone goes to see a doctor about gout, there are specific things they will look for. Some of these things might be evident to the patient as well, but they may not know what they mean. A doctor will test for high levels of uric acid and the crystals that they form. This is a blood test. These crystals might then be located in the joints, and this is most common in the big toe. There will be tenderness around any joints that are involved, and there may be skin problems. Movement of involved joints may very well be painful.

A patient will know they are having a gout attack when they feel pain in the affected joints. This might be very severe pain that is accompanied by stiffness. The joint might feel hot to the touch and extremely tender.

When the signs symptoms gout produces appear, and it is obvious a flare up is occurring, a person should lie down and rest as much as possible. It is important to keep weight off of the joint. Ice or heat might help with the pain, and something like ibuprofen can be taken for inflammation. Once someone is sure they are experiencing a bout of gout, they should call their doctor for advice and the possibility of a prescription if needed.

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