When people ask “What Causes Gout?”, there are two important distinctions
- What causes a gout flare up?
- What is the underlying cause of gout?
In this what causes gout guideline, I explain the underlying causes of gout. These are the problems you have to fix if you are going to control gout. Some causes cannot be cured, but as long as you measure and control uric acid, you can prevent gout flares from returning. Other causes of gout can be removed, leading to a true cure for gout. Before you start, have you read What Is Gout?
What Causes Gout?
- Controllable Gout Causes
- Causes of gout that you might be able to prevent include: some medicines; poor diet; and environmental factors.
- Uncontrollable Gout Causes
- Causes of gout that cannot be prevented includes genetics and other illnesses.
Of course, some factors are not simply one or the other. For example, not all medicines that cause gout have suitable alternatives. Other illnesses that cause gout might be treatable, eventually removing that reason for gout. To get a clearer picture, consider the following list of what causes gout.
What Causes Gout?
There is only one cause of gout – excess uric acid. However, that raises the question: what causes excess uric acid? Here I explain different factors that cause gout. Please remember that many gout sufferers have a combination of causes. It might be difficult to determine your personal causes. You should not delay treatment whilst trying to work out what causes gout. Get uric acid safe as soon as you can, to prevent your gout causing other serious health problems.
What Causes Gout: Other Illnesses
Any illness that causes rapid weight loss is a candidate for causing gout. When your bodies tissues break down, cells release uric acid. With rapid weight loss, the excess uric acid can overwhelm your kidneys, resulting in raised blood uric acid.
Also, kidney disease can impair your kidney’s ability to excrete sufficient uric acid. This can also lead to raised blood uric acid.
Read more about gout and other diseases in Gout Disease guidelines.
What Causes Gout: Medicines
It is well known that Diuretics Cause Gout, but fortunately, a simple prescription change can often move you to something that helps gout.
I am working on a comprehensive review of all medicines that can cause gout, or make it worse. In the meantime, please see Beware Gout Cures You Do Not Need.
What Causes Gout: Poor Diet
There is an obsession with purines, and this often encourages gout sufferers to avoid certain foods. But, equally important, are excess calories, excess iron, dehydration, rapid weight loss, and other bad eating habits. There are few specific foods that you should avoid, but if poor diet causes your gout, you need to understand foods to avoid with gout.
What Causes Gout: Environment
Exposure to metal salts and other toxins can cause gout. Do you drink well water, work with chemicals, or have other reasons why you might be exposed to environmental toxins? If so, you should consult your doctor.
What Causes Gout: Genetics
Saving the big one until last, the most common cause of gout is your parents. As I mentioned earlier, other factors are often combined with genetics. But even if you gradually lose weight, or avoid uric acid raising medicines, you cannot change your genes. If you are genetically disposed to gout, the only thing you can do is stop it being a problem by controlling uric acid.
What Causes Gout: Next Steps
If you have a clear diagnosis, and you know what causes gout, you are ready to take control.
If you cannot remove the causes of excess uric acid, move on to the gout treatment guidelines, and see how easy it is to control gout. Even if you can stop whatever causes gout, it might be several months, even years before you can stop gout flares. In that case, the gout treatment guidelines are also useful for gout pain relief, and you might also benefit from temporary uric acid treatment.
[wl_navigator]
Leave What Causes Gout to browse Gout Symptoms guidelines.
Please give your feedback
Did this page help you? If yes, please consider a small donation. Your donations help keep GoutPal's gout support services free for everyone.
If not, please tell me how I can improve it to help you more.
- YouTube
- The gout forums.
