Is It Gout or Pseudo Gout?

Are you sure you have gout, but are you sure that is the assumption correct? Maybe you have not heard of pseudo gout (PG), but it might just be the main cause of the problem. Unlike gout, pseudo gout effects people in a wide range of ages and it is even more common in both sexes with respect to the gout. If untreated, both gout and pseudo gout can have long term effects that lead to disability and a lot of pain. You should know the difference between the two so you know what treatment and lifestyle changes you should do in your particular situation.

Gout is caused by excess uric acid levels in the blood that the body struggles to process. As a result the uric acid is deposited as crystals in the joints, most commonly the big toe joint, but can affect any joint within the body. If gout is left untreated, the pain and swelling can become more frequent and more damage can be done on time for the joints.

Pseudo gout, however, can occur in any articulation at any time. This condition is not the result of uric acid crystals as gout, but is derived from an accumulation of crystals that are formed from calcium pyrophosphate. The most common areas affected by this condition are the wrists, elbows, shoulders and knees, but not only.

The cause of gout is partly hereditary and is also due to the inability of the body to remove the excess of uric acid. This can happen due to liver damage caused by heavy drinking or a variety of other problems.

Genetics may also play a role in PG, and calcium pyrophosphate crystals formed will cause the same type of pain from gout, and can lead to a lot of damage cartilage in affected joints. For most, it is not known why these crystals develop, but it happens more often with age. Some suggest conditions such as hypothyroidism, an overactive thyroid, low magnesium levels, and high levels of calcium in their blood may be partly to blame.

Gout is a condition that usually affects men who have passed their fortieth birthday, with women increasingly at risk once they reach menopause. One of the biggest indicators that may be at risk of developing gout is whether it works in your family.

With PG, heredity may play a role, but men and women are sensitive as they age. As many as 50 percent of people in their 90s may have this condition with only two or three per cent of people getting hit fifties or sixties.

Even if these two conditions have different causes, and why some get PG are largely unknown, treatment options are somewhat similar. You do not have to worry about purines in foods, but they have many of the same options when it comes to other treatments. NSAIDs are indicated for those who can safely take to help with pain and swelling, and a shot of cortisone in particular for malicious attacks can help. You can reduce uric acid levels to watch what you eat and avoid foods high in purines, but information on reducing the amount of or dissolve the crystals with regard to pseudo gout is not something that is possible or known at this time .......