Q. I'm 43 and I have recently been diagnosed with gout in my big toe by my GP. My doctor has been great, really understanding and has told me some facts and figures about gout. But I feel like I still don't really understand what gout is, how I have it, and what I can do to get rid of it.
He mentioned that some foods and drinks will aggravate my condition but I'm concerned that he didn't really tell me which ones! Please could you give me some advice?
One of the most common joints affected by gout is the big toe joint. The cause of gout can be difficult to understand. Generally speaking the condition occurs when the body processes foods that we eat in a way to cause the crystals to form.
A diet that reduces the risk of forming the crystals helps to reduce the frequency of the gout attacks. Medication is available for patients who do not respond well to diet methods for controlling gout.
The more often gout occurs in a joint the more likely it is that the joint will become painfully arthritic.
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