[Health Section]
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Gout has a way of making itself known rather quickly. Your joints becomes extremely swollen so that you can’t wear clothing normally or have a full range of motion as you previously did. Always prop up the joint that is effected as it can start to give you some relief staying off of it.
Many gout patients report that they noticed their skin changing color during their attack. The uric acid crystals can often change the skin pigmentation from their normal flesh color to a red or purple shade. It often looks worse than it is, but equally scares you enough to force you to make a trip to your doctor’s office.
Most people living with gout say they absolutely dread nighttime. Even wearing blankets or a bed sheet over the affected area can cause extreme pain. Trying to get some sleep can be a lot of effort, and often force the patient to take off from work for a few days until it subsides.
Many of those that have suffered with gout have reported they go from zero to sixty in a matter of hours with their attack. It causes them to lie down to stay seated until it gets better. Often it can last for an hour, or the entire day depending on the severity of the case.
Many patients have to be extremely ginger moving around their joints effected with gout as they are pretty tender to the touch. Some can’t wear clothing over the area, and have difficulty sleeping or wearing shoes whatsoever. Examining the joint can be tricky for the medical provider as well.
Some experience pain or swollen joints along with itchy skin. The skin can be very fragile and start to crack and peel off. It is similar to having a sunburn run its course on your skin; being sore first, then dry, then itchy.
The joints that are impacted by the gout often are the most severe, but there are also other body parts that can become swollen during a gout episode. Not everyone gets this symptom, but many do with additional swelling at certain places such as wrists or hands.
Getting little to no sleep whilst battling gout isn’t usually done on purpose. Most patients cannot sleep no matter how much effort they put into it; it’s usually the pain and swollen joints that keep you awake. Some can’t even use a blanket on their effected areas or need to sleep propped up on pillows to get a few minutes of rest here and there.
Gout causes the swollen joints to often form pus nodules that can break open and ooze out from the skin. This is why it is so imperative to keep the area nice and clean to prevent any possible infections.
Many of those who have developed gout in the past report that they also felt very warm during the episode. It can cause the skin to become very heated to the touch where the inflammation has settled. Some use ice packs or a cold washcloth over the area to dismiss the heat sensation.
Gout can be rather painful and disrupt your daily routine for days to weeks. Always seek medical treatment if the pain or episode is severe and not allowing you to heal after a week of your symptoms. Always prop up the affected area so that you can rest properly and not allow the blood flow to settle in the painful spot. Rest, relax, and watch some movies or read a good a book to try to make the time pass quicker.
