All About Tophaceous Gout And How it Affects You

When an individual has gout for a long period of time, such as 10 years or more, Tophi can appear on the ears, ankles, toes, and sometimes fingers. They are little nodules that can move, but are painful when moved. They are caused by the build up of uric crystals in the joint fluid, which creates these tophi bumps on the body. They can severely restrict joint movement, and usually occur in the elderly.

Most of the time tophi is serious and should be taken care of promptly. At first they don’t cause any pain or symptoms but later on they usually grow to bigger proportions. When bigger they can cause joint pain and actually begin to dissolve the bone and joint. This is extremely dangerous and can lead to disfigurement and debilitation later on.

To reduce the pain and symptoms, you simply need to reduce the uric acid in your body. Changing your diet and living differently can help tophus go away quickly without much harm. A doctor will be able to properly diagnose and treat your tophi the best possible. Sometimes tophi can appear in multiple places and it is truly embarrassing to go into public with them on your body. They can lower self esteem and make living a normal life embarrassing and painful.

Certain medications can help dissolve the uric acid crystals to reduce the pain and overall appearance of tophaceous gout. To avoid getting tophi on the body you must continue with your treatment regimen. Most people that suffer from tophi are the same people that stop taking their medicine or the medicine no longer works. It is very important to tell your doctor if your symptoms are not improving so that he or she can adjust your medication as needed.

Other treatment options for tophi include surgery. Surgery will remove them and help the body heal again. If the bone and joint socket have been dissolved something more serious may be needed to help repair. In extreme cases some people need to have their foot amputated due to bacterial infections, pain, and over dissolving of the bone.

Tophi is not something that you should let get out of control. Don’t be embarrassed to talk to your doctor about getting the symptoms and pain treated in the fastest way possible!