An attack of gout is an extremely painful experience, and it is a good idea for you to see a doctor if you believe you may be suffering from this condition.

Gout, like any other health condition, can easily be determined by tests conducted your physician. Depending on what the results of the tests reveal, a diagnosis can be made and the proper treatment can be administered.

Gout is an extremely painful condition. It tends to present itself first in the big toe and is indicated by intense pain, swelling and redness.

If it is the first attack, the person may not even know what the problem is, as it seems to come out of nowhere. As the pain becomes more unbearable, a trip to the doctor's office or the emergency room will most likely be the next move for proper testing and diagnosis.

How is gout diagnosed?

Upon your arrival, the physician will get your health history. This will include any chronic health conditions you may presently have, as well as a history of health conditions of your family. Some diseases have a hereditary component and it is important for your doctor to be aware of this information.

Once the doctor has evaluated your overall health condition, and the specific reason why you are there, he will order testing to help him come to the correct diagnosis.

Tests that can be conducted include:

Lab tests:

Urinalysis, complete blood count, serum uric acid measurements and serum creatinine tests.

Aspiration of synovial fluid:

The function of synovial fluid is to provide nutrition, lubrication, and cushions the cartilage. It is located between the joints that can be aspirated or drawn out via needle, put on a glass slide, then looked at under a microscope. This test looks for urate crystals in the synovial fluid, which would be indicative of gout.

Types of gout:

Acute Gouty Arthritis:

This type of attack will generally peak at two days and may last for up to ten if not treated. The area will be red, swollen and warm to touch. Intense pain may also be combined with a slight fever.

Interval Gout:

This attack occurs after symptoms of the initial attack are gone. Treatment to prevent gout will not normally begin unless a second attack has taken place.

Tophaceous Gout:

Tophi are nodular masses made up of urate crystals, that usually appear after the initial gout attack. Tophi are further complicated by:

Pain, soft tissue damage and deformity, destruction of the affected joint, nerve compression.

Undiagnosed hyperuricemia may bring the intervals between attacks closer together until they disappear. This may result in constant joint inflammation, joint deformity, and tophaceous deposits of urate crystals in the soft tissues surrounding the joint. This can also be coupled with periods of acute arthritis.

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