After reading this article on gout, will young people still dare to eat and drink whatever they want?

Once gout strikes, sleepless nights follow. ， Back and forth, the man remains silent while the woman sheds tears. 。 To mention Ventilation , most people believe this is a disease that only middle-aged men get, but now some Young people’s excessive eating and drinking have gradually turned gout into a common “urban disease.”

What is gout?

Gouty Arthritis It is caused by purine metabolism disorders that lead to the deposition of urate crystals in joint capsules, bursae, cartilage, bone tissue, and other tissues. Lesions and Inflammatory Response 。

Gouty arthritis falls under the categories of “heat-toxin bi” and “lìjié bìng” in traditional Chinese medicine. , there are genetic and familial factors, Commonly occurs in In men over 40, it is most commonly seen at the metatarsophalangeal joints of the toes. It can also occur in other large joints, particularly the ankle and foot joints; in severe cases, it not only causes joint pain and deformity but may even lead to renal failure.

Clinical Manifestations of Gout

1. Commonly seen in Obese middle-aged and elderly men , a small number are seen in postmenopausal women, with a male-to-female ratio of 20:1.

2. Main Involvement of a single adjacent joint ， Frequently recurs . The first episode is often the... The metatarsophalangeal joint is initially affected, followed by involvement of the tarsal, ankle, knee, interphalangeal, and wrist joints, with a migratory pattern.

3. Sudden onset The joint is red, swollen, warm, and painful, with limited range of motion; symptoms peak within a day, worsening at night and improving during the day.

4. Recurrent, Joint thickening, deformity, and stiffness.

5. Suspicious or confirmed gouty tophi are present in the auricle, bones near joints, tendon sheaths, cartilage, subcutaneous tissue, and other sites.

6. Hyperuricemia, with serum uric acid levels exceeding 416 μmol/L.

7. The episode may terminate spontaneously.

Etiology of Gout

1. Obesity: Obesity is a risk factor for gout; it not only increases the likelihood of developing gout, but also tends to result in an earlier age of onset in obese patients. As An increase in BMI (body mass index) is associated with a significant rise in the incidence of gout.

2. Drinking: Excessive alcohol intake due to overdrinking is an independent risk factor for gout attacks. Beer contains high levels of purines, making it the beverage with the greatest risk of triggering gout.

3. Hypertension: Hypertension is an independent risk factor for gout attacks. A long-term study of U.S. residents was conducted, lasting Over a 9-year follow-up, participants with hypertension were found to have a significantly higher risk of developing gout compared with those without hypertension.

4. Purine-rich foods: Foods such as meat and seafood can increase the risk of gout. Fructose is a carbohydrate that can elevate serum uric acid levels by promoting uric acid synthesis and inhibiting uric acid excretion; therefore, excessive consumption of fructose-containing beverages can lead to increased serum uric acid levels.

How to Prevent Gout

1. Pay attention to maintaining your weight, Obesity is a risk factor for gout. If you want to manage your weight, you need to start with small, everyday changes and cultivate healthy habits such as eating a balanced diet, engaging in regular physical activity, and maintaining a consistent sleep schedule.

2. Reduce intake of high-purine foods, Such as meat, seafood, and animal offal.

3. Increase your intake of fresh vegetables and fruits, Fresh vegetables and fruits are low-purine foods. Vegetables are rich in dietary fiber, which promotes gastrointestinal motility, facilitates digestion and absorption of food, and helps eliminate residual waste in a timely manner. Fresh vegetables and fruits also contain more vitamins. C, vitamin C can promote the excretion of uric acid, which helps prevent the development of hyperuricemia.

4. Adequate hydration, Adequate intake of drinking water can increase uric acid excretion; patients with hyperuricemia and gout are advised to drink more water, as this promotes the elimination of uric acid in the urine and helps lower serum uric acid levels.

5. Limit alcohol consumption, As the saying goes: “A little drink enlivens the spirit; heavy drinking harms the body.” Alcohol impairs uric acid excretion, leading to elevated serum uric acid levels and, consequently, gout—particularly with beer and baijiu.

Common Misconceptions About Gout Recovery

Misconception One Gout can be cured simply by avoiding certain foods.

Clinically, many patients perceive drug adverse reactions as significant and are therefore reluctant to undergo long-term pharmacotherapy.

Some patients believe that, since gout is typically triggered by the consumption of high-purine foods, a so-called “dietary control” approach—relying solely on dietary modifications—can effectively lower serum uric acid levels.   

Even worse, some people attempt to treat gout through “hunger therapy.” In reality, for patients whose serum uric acid levels are significantly higher than the threshold for gout, relying solely on dietary modifications and other lifestyle changes often fails to bring uric acid levels down to the desired target.

Misconception No. 2 Treat when in pain; do not treat when not in pain.

During an acute gout attack, patients seek medical care due to the unbearable redness, swelling, heat, and pain in the affected joint. However, once the pain subsides, many assume that the condition has “resolved” and no longer require follow-up with a physician or further treatment.

Misconception Three Gout can be cured simply by taking medication.

Conversely, some patients believe that, since they have been consistently taking urate-lowering medications and their serum uric acid levels are well controlled, there is no need to follow a dietary regimen or engage in physical activity during pharmacotherapy. However, many patients are unaware that non-pharmacological management plays a crucial role in the treatment of gout.

Misconception Four Use of antibiotics during the acute phase of gouty arthritis

Some patients in the acute phase of gouty arthritis, and even some physicians who are not rheumatologists or immunologists, mistakenly attribute the marked redness, swelling, heat, and pain at the affected site to bacterial infection and therefore prescribe antibiotics. In fact, antibiotics have no effect on uric acid metabolism.

Misconception Five Long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or hormones

To suppress acute inflammatory responses, relieve pain, and terminate an attack, physicians often prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as indomethacin to patients experiencing an acute gout flare, typically at relatively high doses and with frequent daily administrations. However, these medications neither affect uric acid metabolism nor enhance uric acid excretion; they provide symptomatic relief rather than addressing the underlying cause, and therefore fail to resolve the root problem.

PingLe Guo’s Orthopedic Clinic reminds you: Excessive eating and drinking are very dangerous for patients with gout. , which may trigger a gout attack at any time.