Complications of gout

Gout is a kind of inflammatory arthritis, that is caused by excess uric acids levels in the blood. It can cause of enormous pain and permanent disability among patients, if not appropriately managed. Some of the severe complications of gout include:

Tophi

Crystalline uric acid and other substances often form in tissues both outside and inside the joint. The crystals that build up under the skin may form small white or yellow lumps known as subcutaneous tophi. If there are tophi below the surface, there will be more within the cartilage and bone of joints. Sometimes tophi become to the giant that they build up resistance against medicine and diet changes.

Joint damage

If urate crystals continue to build up and form hard lumps (tophi) due to not managing uric acid level within the cartilage and bone of the joints, this could lead to permanent joint damage or deformity. In the most severe cases, surgery may be required to repair or replace a damaged joint.

Kidney stones

High levels of uric acid can lead to the formation of uric acid crystals in your urinary tract, resulting in kidney stones. Around 10-25% of people with gout develop kidney stones.

Psychological effects

Gout can affect a patient’s mood, work, and home life. The severe pain that gout causes can make it difficult to get around, which can sometimes lead to feelings of depression or anxiety.

Heart Attack

Although it is not clear why, but there is a reliable connection between gout and heart attack. According to the statistics, gout increases the risk of suffering from a heart attack by 26% among men and 39% among women. One of the reasons behind this could be the long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) prescribed by the doctors in the past.