How to Know if You Are at Risk for Gout - By: Steave Morison

Knowing the risk factors of developing gout is important for prevention and early treatment of the disease. If you are at high risk for developing gout based on the signs and symptoms below, then it is important to start changing your habits soon before a gout problem begins to develop.

If you are an adult male you are at a significantly higher risk for developing gout. This is due in part to diet and hormones as well as lifestyle choices. If you are a male and have family members that had gout, then you have extra risk factors attached to you. You can’t change those things but you can make sure you change other habits that may put you at risk. Post menopausal women are also at a higher risk for developing gout, but still not as high as men.

While it doesn’t always apply to everyone, lead poisoning can lead to a person developing gout. If you have come into contact with excessive lead in the past, be sure to check with your doctor and get properly screened for lead poisoning.

Being overweight is also a major risk factor. Overweight or obese people have a much great chance of developing gout. This is caused by poor diets as well as other medical conditions that cause gout. If you are overweight the best treatment is to simply lose weight and change your diet before it becomes a serious problem to your body.

Consuming too much alcohol can increase the risk for gout, and it can increase gout severity if you already have the condition. Too much saturated fat is also known to increase the chances of a person developing gout in a few years. Consuming both of the above things can dramatically increase your chances of developing gout at a young age.

Medical conditions and medications that are pre-existing can cause gout problems. Gout is a serious type of arthritis and is very painful. Primary diseases that are known to increase a persons risk for gout include; thyroid disorders, diabetes, heart disease, kidney and gallbladder problems, as well as obesity. Medications that cause gout are not as well known but some seem to trigger the disorder.

A Brief Rundown of the Triggers and Risk Factors

• Diet and lifestyle choices. Eat poorly and never exercise and you can expect to develop gout at some point in your life.
• Alcohol consumption in excess.
• Age and gender. Being an older male puts you at a higher risk.
• Family history is shown to play some role in gout development.
• Not seeking treatment quickly can make gout worsen and more painful.
• Medications and other existing disorders can cause problems and gout is one of them.

About the Author

Do you suffer from gout? Learn more about gout and how to treat it.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Steave-Morison/62347

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