Uric Acid Arthritis
If we called gout uric acid arthritis would we get better treatment?
Gout is an old-fashioned word.
Through the ages it has been associated with pain, which is true.
It has also been associated with excessive luxurious living – the “rich man’s disease,” or “disease of kings,” which is less true.
Gout has long been known as a build up of uric acid. This leads to uric acid being deposited in and around the joints as mono sodium urate (MSU) crystals. Hence, gout’s other name – crystal arthritis, or crystal-induced arthritis.
Though gout is medically recognized as a type of arthritis, it’s common perception that it is self-inflicted through high living prevails. This misconception follows, at least partially into the medical profession. How many doctors prescribe a few unmonitored pills and offer dietary advice yet fail to provide a proper uric acid management program? Quite a few judging by my postbag.
Of course, if you start talking about uric acid arthritis, people may not understand you. But you can start thinking of it in this way. Start to concentrate on uric acid and how to manage it, then the gout will take care of itself.
This Uric Acid Arthritis page, first published before May 2008, represents a better way to think about gout. Control excess uric acid, and your journey to gout freedom gets a whole lot easier.
