Gout is a common form of arthritis, which causes inflammation in your joints. It can affect men and women, but it’s more common in men.
An extra uric acid causes gout in the blood, which leads to painful attacks of inflammation on some parts of your body, like your fingers or toes. If you have gout, it is important to monitor your uric acid levels with a uric acid test to ensure you get the right treatment level.
In this article, you shall learn what causes high uric acid levels, how you know if you have one (and if so, what the treatment is), and what you should do if you have one.
What is uric acid?
Uric acid occurs when the body breaks down amino acids—uric acid forms when you eat protein and other foods that contain purines.
Uric acid can be produced by your body or taken from food sources like red meats, fish, and poultry. It’s also found in dark green vegetables such as spinach or cabbage, tomatoes, egg yolks, beans (in particular kidney beans), chocolate, grapefruit juice, cranberries, and prunes (or any other source where there are high amounts of natural sugars).
Risks and Causes of High Uric Acid Levels
High uric acid levels can signify several health conditions, including gout, kidney stones, and kidney damage. And it may also be related to diabetes and heart disease.
The following are some causes of high uric acid levels:
- Gout is inflammatory arthritis caused by the accumulation of crystalline monosodium urate (MSU) in joints that leads to pain and swelling; it occurs when crystals form on the surface of joint fluid due to increased production by purines found in foods such as red meat or alcohol.
- MSU crystals accumulate over time until they become so large they penetrate surrounding tissues causing inflammation which causes pain when touched or moved. This results in inflammation throughout your body, causing stiffness/aches all over, especially around the shoulders/back.
- It gets worse if not treated properly at first as it causes other problems like arthritis; this often happens enough that doctors recommend the early diagnosis, so you don’t wait too long until symptoms get worse before seeking treatment
What are the symptoms of high uric acid levels?
- Joint pain and swelling.
- Inflammation of the skin can lead to rashes and sores.
- Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and weight loss.
- Fatigue (feeling tired all the time) or muscle weakness or aches in your legs or joints. You may also have high blood pressure due to this condition—but this only happens for some people with high uric acid levels in their blood.
What Is The Diagnosis Of Uric Acid?
Your doctor will order a uric acid test to measure the quantity of uric acid in urine or blood. A uric acid test price is meager, so anyone can take the test easily. In some cases, a doctor may also suggest checking your blood sugar level and liver function test to rule out any underlying health conditions that could be contributing to the problem.
What Is The Treatment Of Uric Acid?
If you have high uric acid levels, your doctor may recommend taking probenecid medication. This is an antacid that can reduce the amount of uric acid in your body and help prevent kidney stones from forming.
Suppose you have hyperuricemia (high blood levels of uric acid). In that case, following a healthy diet plan and lifestyle changes is important to lower your blood level of this harmful waste product.
If necessary, talk with your doctor about how best to manage this condition so that it doesn’t lead to serious health problems or even death!
Conclusion
A high uric acid level can signify gout, kidney problems, or diabetes. However, it is important to understand that high uric acid levels are not a disease in and of themselves. Instead, they signify that something else may go wrong with your body. If you have any concerns about your health, please check with your doctor before taking any medications or supplements at home!
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