When in Gout

The Beginner's Guide To Gout: All You Need To Know About Preventing This Lifestyle Disease

Did you know that you can actually take concrete steps to lower your risk of developing the autoinflammatory disorder gout? While having a family history of gout does indeed predispose you to getting gout, leading a healthy lifestyle still makes a difference. In fact, gout was historically labelled as the "disease of kings" because a considerable number of affluent people who lead overly indulgent lifestyles suffer from gout.

This, in part, explains gout's relatively high prevalence in the first-world country Singapore, as according to a 2023 Frontiers in Medicine research article, about 4% of adults in Singapore are afflicted with this condition.

DEMYSTIFYING GOUT

Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis that occurs when urate crystals accumulate in the joints. The condition is usually defined by sudden, intense attacks of pain, redness, swelling and joint tenderness. While gout predominantly targets the big toe, it can also affect various joints like the feet, ankles, knees, elbows, wrists and fingers. As a result, gout can cause severe pain, leading to limitation in movements In some instances, individuals may experience a low-grade fever during acute attacks accompanied by other systemic symptoms such as fatigue and malaise.

CAUSE AND POTENTIAL COMPLICATIONS