Gout is a fairly old disease, being around for more than two thousand years. Gout is a disease that affects mostly mean, but women can suffer from gout as well, mostly after menopause. Gout is a very hard rheumatic disease, but out off all this type of diseases, gout probably has the best treatment.

There was a myth that said that the cause of gout is too much food and drinks. Nowadays, this myth has proven wrong. However, everybody knows that there is a little truth in every myth. This gout myth makes no exception. If you drink a lot, but mainly wine or beer and if you eat more than you should, then gout attacks are more likely to appear. However, this is not the cause of gout. Studies have shown that people who suffer from gout suffer from a chemical process disorder of their bodies. One of the gout causes can be the build up of urate, that can form crystals in your joints. These are very painful. However, this problem is mostly genetic and almost all people who suffer from it inherited gout from their grandparents or parents. Actually, gout is a family problem.

Urate is the main cause of gout as studies have shown. However, not all people who have high urate levels actually suffer from gout. Even relatives of gout patients can have high urate levels in their blood and still not suffer from gout or have any gout attack in their lives. Diuretics, that are mainly used to treat high pressures of blood or heart problems can increase the levels of urate and thus lead to gout.

Gout is very painful. In fact, this disease is the most painful of all rheumatism or arthritis forms. Gout attacks mainly start during night time and the first gout attack sign is pain in your big toe. This toes becomes swollen, extremely red and painful. However, it is sometimes difficult for doctors to tell you if you are having a gout attack or it is just a simple bunion case. Besides this joint, other joints can also be attacked by gout. The elbow, wrist or knee are some of the other places at risk of a gout attack.

Even if an injury is the most common cause of a gout attack, illness, fatigue or worry can also trigger a gout attack. If you have an operation, this might also bring an attack of gout just a few days later.