What are the symptoms of gouty arthritis

Gout arthritis is a common joint disease in life. Patients with gouty arthritis will feel great inconvenience. The symptoms of gouty arthritis can be treated in time when they are discovered in the early stages, so that the disease can be controlled.

1. The asymptomatic period is long, with only elevated blood uric acid levels. About 1/3 of patients will later develop joint symptoms.

2. Acute arthritis often occurs suddenly at night, with severe pain in the affected joints. The first joints affected are often the big toe joints, followed by the ankles, knees, etc. Red, swollen, hot and tender joints, general weakness, fever, headache, etc. It can last for 3 to 11 days. Drinking, overeating, overwork and catching a cold, surgical stimulation, and mental stress can all be triggers of an attack.

3. The interval between attacks is several months or years. As the disease recurs, the interval becomes shorter, the disease period becomes longer, and the number of affected joints increases, it gradually turns into chronic arthritis.

4. The average time from acute onset to chronic arthritis is about 11 years, during which the joints become stiff, deformed, and have limited movement. About 30% of patients may suffer from tophi, renal complications, and ureteral stones. In the late stage, there are hypertension, renal and cerebral arteriosclerosis, and myocardial infarction A small number of patients died from renal failure and cardiovascular accidents. The course of secondary gout is similar, with a shorter interval secondary to blood disease and glycogen storage disease. The blood uric acid test was elevated, up to 20mg% (normal: 7mg% for males and 6mg% for females). Polarized light microscopy revealed white blood cells engulfing urate crystals in the synovial fluid. During the acute phase, the white blood cell count increases and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate accelerates. X-ray examination shows punch-like destruction of the subchondral bone of the articular joint, as well as local osteoporosis, erosion or cortical fracture, narrowing of the joint space and marginal bone hyperplasia. Gout stones may appear as calcification shadows.

The intermittent period of this disease may last for months or years, but as the disease worsens, the intermittent period may become shorter and shorter, and tophi as big as corn grains may appear under the skin of the helix, earlobe, and joints. It can be triggered by alcoholism, overeating, overwork or mental stress. It may become chronic in some patients and in severe cases, the joints may become ankylosing due to destruction.