"Why Does Gout Keep Recurring?"

Gout: Understanding the Disease and Preventive Measures

Gout is a metabolic disorder characterized by inflammatory reactions in joints, manifesting as redness, swelling, heat, and pain, due to excessively high levels of uric acid in the body. To prevent or reduce gout recurrences, patients should pay attention to dietary control and lifestyle adjustments in their daily lives.

Causes of Gout Recurrence

1. Improper Diet: Frequent consumption of high-purine foods such as seafood, animal viscera, and beer can elevate blood uric acid levels, triggering acute gout symptoms.

2. Lack of Standardized Treatment: Despite undergoing active and regular urate-lowering drug therapy, some patients fail to adhere to the medication regimen or discontinue treatment without medical advice, leading to disease progression and recurrent gout episodes.

3. Other Factors: Factors like excessive fatigue, exposure to cold, and significant emotional fluctuations can disrupt the immune system, causing disease relapse. In specific situations, like the use of diuretic medications, normal uric acid excretion may be inhibited, allowing uric acid to accumulate and form crystals that deposit in soft tissues, ultimately triggering gouty arthritis.

Recommendations for Patients

Patients are advised to undergo regular check-ups as directed by their physicians, maintain healthy lifestyle habits by avoiding alcohol and high-purine foods, and engage in appropriate exercise to strengthen their constitution. For severe pain, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can be prescribed to alleviate discomfort, and if necessary, glucocorticoid medications may be considered to reduce local edema.