GOUT AND PSEUDOGOUT
By: Adrienne R. Hollander, M.D.
Your Trusted Rheumatology Clinic for Gout Management
Gout might feel like an uphill battle, but the right care can change everything. At Arthritis, Rheumatic & Bone Disease Associates, we understand the debilitating nature of gout attacks and the challenges of managing gout effectively. Our rheumatologists have been serving the South Jersey and Philadelphia communities for five decades, combining cutting-edge treatments with compassionate care. If you’re dealing with intense pain from uric acid crystals and looking to prevent future gout attacks, we are here to guide you every step of the way.
Our clinic specializes in diagnosing and treating complex rheumatic conditions. By addressing the root causes, we reduce your pain and help you reclaim your health.
What Is Gout?
Common Symptoms of Gout
By identifying gout symptoms early, you can take steps towards early intervention. It’s important that you find a qualified rheumatologist who can diagnose gout and develop an effective treatment plan for you. Here are the most common indicators:
- Sudden and intense pain: Often described as unbearable, this pain can strike at any time, usually during the night.
- Swelling and redness: The affected joint often becomes visibly swollen and red.
- Warmth in the joint: Inflamed joints may feel warm to the touch.
- Limited mobility: The severe discomfort often restricts movement in the affected joint.
- Recurring episodes: Frequent gout flares could indicate high uric acid levels and require ongoing care.
Untreated gout can lead to complications like chronic kidney disease, joint deformities, or recurrent kidney stones.
Gout or Pseudogout? Your Rheumatologist Knows the Difference.
It takes an experienced rheumatologist to make this tricky diagnosis, and the specialists at ARBDA have the knowledge and experience to do it.
Both gout and its pretender, pseudogout, cause painful, inflamed, stiff joints in the fingers, knees, and wrists — and in gout, a throbbing big toe is a hallmark symptom. Sometimes, symptoms can become so severe that they disturb sleep.
Although gout and pseudogout are types of inflammatory arthritis, that is where the similarity ends. Gout affects millions of people and occurs when the body produces too much uric acid, or it can’t handle the uric acid produced. This results in uric acid crystals forming in the joints or kidneys.
Pseudogout is a rare condition where, for unknown reasons, calcium pyrophosphate crystals form in the joints and surrounding tissues. It primarily affects older individuals. It’s not understood what actually triggers an attack, but factors such as family history, excess iron or low magnesium blood levels, and an under-active thyroid are some predisposing factors for developing pseudogout.
What Triggers a Gout Attack?
Everyday triggers for a gout attack include:
- A joint injury
- Obesity
- An infection
- Drinking too much alcohol (especially wine)
- Eating meat or shellfish
These specific foods are naturally high in compounds called purines, which break down into uric acid.
Individuals with a family history of gout, kidney disease, or an organ transplant are also at a higher risk of developing this disease.
Why Consult a Rheumatologist for Gout?
While a primary care physician may provide initial treatment, a rheumatologist has specialized expertise in managing gout and other forms of inflammatory arthritis. Rheumatologists use advanced diagnostic tools, including imaging tests, to accurately diagnose gout and assess its severity.
Additionally, they consider coexisting medical conditions, like high blood pressure and kidney disease, when creating a treatment plan that addresses every aspect of your health. This comprehensive care ensures better management of gout pain and reduces the likelihood of future gout attacks.
Innovative Gout Treatments at ARBDA
Although nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can provide quick relief, they don’t target the root cause of the inflammation. We offer advanced options for treating gout, including medications like xanthine oxidase inhibitors and even an infusion medication option KRYSTEXXA (pegloticase). These medications work to reduce uric acid levels and prevent future attacks for long-term relief.
In addition to medication, we explore lifestyle interventions to address gout risk factors, such as dietary changes and hydration strategies to prevent the formation of uric acid crystals. Our goal is to not only treat gout attacks but also improve your quality of life.