Symptoms of High Uric Acid Include:
- Intense joint pain
- Pain that spreads to other joints over time
- Joint swelling (in fingers, toes, hands, and elbows)
- Redness and tenderness around joints
- Stiffness in joints
- Back pain radiating towards the groin, associated with kidney stones
- Presence of blood in urine, a sign of kidney stones
- Uric acid stone deposits in the skin
- Deformed joints
Common Causes of High Uric Acid Include:
1. Diuretics:
These medications aid in the removal of excess body water and are used to treat high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, and edema.
They act as water retention relievers, reducing fluid accumulation in the body. The reduction in body fluid volume leads to an increased concentration of uric acid, which can crystallize in joints and cause gout.
2. Genetics:
Gout is often linked to genetic factors; individuals with elevated uric acid levels are prone to gout attacks.
3. Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid):
There's a direct link between thyroid activity and purine metabolism. An increase in cell metabolism can lead to a higher concentration of uric acid.
4. Renal Insufficiency:
The kidneys regulate blood pressure and composition, filtering organic waste and expelling it from the body.
Conditions such as renal artery disease, low blood pressure, and hemolytic uremic syndrome can impair kidney function. Renal insufficiency can lead to an increased concentration of uric acid in the blood.
Excess weight places additional strain on the kidneys, requiring them to work harder to remove uric acid.
5. Tumor Lysis Syndrome:
Cancer is a deadly disease that gradually impairs the body's overall function. During chemotherapy, cancer-affected cells are released into the bloodstream due to an increased rate of cell death. Persistent high uric acid symptoms, especially if spreading to joints, may indicate gout or uric acid kidney stones.
Diagnosis involves blood tests and X-ray examinations, but extracting and examining joint fluid under a microscope is most definitive. High uric acid poses health risks like gout, tophaceous gout, and kidney stones. Gout involves uric acid crystal deposits in joints, leading to isolated or recurring attacks.
Tophaceous gout refers to uric acid deposits under the skin or around joints, causing severe pain. Uric acid crystals can also form kidney stones; small ones pass in urine, but large ones may obstruct the urinary tract. Treatment requires pinpointing the high uric acid's cause; NSAIDs are effective for pain and inflammation, and steroids are sometimes prescribed.
Allopurinol and colchicine traditionally manage gout. High uric acid levels can also be addressed with herbal and ayurvedic remedies. Consult a qualified physician and avoid self-medication.
Measures to control high uric acid include:
- Stay hydrated by drinking around 10 glasses of water daily to facilitate the elimination of uric acid through urine, preventing the formation of uric acid crystals in the body.
- Diet significantly influences uric acid levels. Foods high in purines such as anchovies, sardines, gravy, liver, organ meats, seafood (scallops, crab, shrimp), brewer’s yeast, and yeast supplements can increase blood uric acid and should be avoided by those at risk of gout.
- A diet rich in purines can raise uric acid levels and increase the risk of gout attacks.
- Include fresh fruits and vegetables high in fiber in your diet. Consume antioxidant-rich foods and consider supplements of vitamins C and E. Regularly eat apples, bananas, grapes, berries, pineapples, beetroots, carrots, and cucumbers.
- Moderate alcohol consumption may reduce heart disease risk, but excessive intake is harmful. Alcohol, especially beer, is a source of purines that break down into uric acid. It also raises lactic acid and uric acid production.
- Nicotinic acid, a type of niacin, can raise blood uric acid levels, increasing the risk of gout. Niacin is used to lower bad cholesterol and reduce heart attack risk, so monitoring uric acid levels when on niacin is crucial.
- Elevate your limbs during pain attacks.
- Take prescribed painkillers and follow up with necessary care.
- Obesity predisposes individuals to various diseases; maintaining a healthy weight is crucial. Obese individuals produce more insulin to control blood sugar levels.
- Higher insulin levels hinder uric acid elimination from the body, making weight control essential.
If you're experiencing joint pain that spreads to other joints, it may indicate high levels of uric acid in your blood, often associated with gout. The deposition of uric acid crystals can cause pain and inflammation.
While certain medications and foods may contribute to this condition, there are steps you can take to manage it. Consuming fresh fruits and vegetables, staying hydrated, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding alcohol, and following prescribed medication regimens can aid in controlling uric acid levels.
Source: righthomeremedies.com
