Big Toe Not Biggest Culprit in 'Painful' Gout Flare Ups: Researchers

The painful rheumatic condition gout is often associated with the big toe.

The painful rheumatic condition gout is often associated with the big toe. Despite this, researchers have found that patients whose gout first involved other joints, like knee or elbow are at highest risk of further flare-ups.

In the study, researchers followed 46 gout patients for a mean of roughly 13 years.

About Gout
High levels of uric acid in blood and recurring attacks of joint inflammation are the main symptoms of gout. Lifestyle changes like weight loss, increasing fluid intake and dietary changes can help.

They found that even though people usually associate gout with the big toe, the patients at highest risk for subsequent bouts with gout pain had gout originate in another joint, says co-author Eric Matteson, M.D., rheumatology chair at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Source-ANI

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Big Toe Isn't Biggest Culprit in Gout Flare-Ups: Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic has found that the painful rheumatic condition gout is often associated with the big toe.