Friday, October 06, 2006
Gouty Arthritis
I just made a trip to the doctor's finally coz despite after 2 Panadols, 2 Glucosamines, the pain in my foot persisted & i have been limpin' around for some 3 days now. Not to mention limpin' to Mustafa yday...wad was i tinkin'...
After observing my foot on its apparent, since there wasn't any open wound, doc decided to do a blood test. *horrified* I was prepared to do a urine test tho, since it's more painless to pee than to bleed ya noe.
-_-''' I watched him puncture a small hole in my middle finger (darn, can't swear freely now) in abit of fear & squeeze out substantial amount of blood for him to test for my uric acid. Found out the amount of blood required is not the same when they were merely trying to find out your blood type back then. Zzzz...
While waiting for the machine to generate the results, doc made small talk & asked about my profession. Well, my answer got him sitting upright & before i know it, he was whipping out files, notes & findings to show me how there is a vast trend of exploitation going on in the local scene of the medical industry. Exploitation of patients & doctors for the benefit of insurance industry that is.
How am i involved? Well, coz HR practitioners are normally responsible for deciding which insurance broker & insurer to buy medical insurance for their company's staff from. And his point is that the company's HR is often oblivious to how big a margin the insurance companies get from the fee agreed, in turn shortchanging the medical health people, leaving the docs wif no choice but to compromise on the medication & for some, service, to the patients who come to them.
Can tell he was genuinely pissed. Fine, i will take note of dis if i ever have a chance to decide which insurance company to purchase medical coverage from.
Ok, anyway.
Apparently, my uric acid turns out to be pretty normal.
Doc says from the superfical observation, the diagnosis is that i've got Gouty Arthritis. Uric acid is but one indication of which & normally people with Gout has high uric acid. But he also mentioned wif low uric acid, it doesn't mean i can't get Gout.
Ok fine.
I asked for the cause, and he mentioned it could be because i have been taking too much food high in protein, like meat, liver, spleen (which i don't coz i'm not a meat-person) or due to large intake of alcohol like beer especially (which i didn't take in recent weeks). Better yet, he said it could be inborn for some.
Right. Inborn!? Thanks alot leh.
Then he also said it could be due to excessive walking.
Well. I can't help it if i have to walk right. -_-'''''
He gave me some medication to take which was said to be able to make the pain go away quickly, gout or not, so i could walk normally soon. I have yet to have lunch, so we'll see later.
I came back & did a quick search on super Wikipedia, and found the following:
Definition
Gout (aka gouty arthritis) is a form of arthritis caused by the accumulation of uric acid crystals in joints. It is an intensely painful disease, which in most cases affects only one joint (monoarthritis), most commonly the big toe.
Checked. Checked. Checked.
Signs & Symptoms
The classic picture is of excruciating and sudden pain, swelling, redness, warmness and stiffness in the joint. Low-grade fever may also be present. The patient usually suffers from two sources of pain. The crystals inside the joint cause intense pain whenever the affected area is moved. The inflammation of the tissues around the joint also causes the skin to be swollen, tender and sore if it is even slightly touched. For example, a blanket draping over the affected area would cause extreme pain.
Ok checked too. No fever though.
Cause
Although the exact cause of gout is not known, it is thought to be linked to defects in purine metabolism. Purine is an organic compound commonly found in the body and is metabolized by the body into uric acid. People with primary gout have either an increased production of uric acid or an impaired excretion of uric acid, or a combination of both.
Darn you! Purine metabolism!!
Many still believe that gout is caused by a combination of dietary factors and "laziness". In particular, many believe that gout develops following several years of excessive alcohol consumption combined with an ongoing lack of physical activity and a diet completely lacking in purine-neutralising foods, such as berries, as well as other specific fruit and vegetables (see below).
Others have refined this theory, saying that some are genetically predisposed to gout and some are not. As a result, people who are not predisposed can live over-indulgent lifestyles and not develop gout, while others who are predisposed can develop gout, despite being physically active and having a well-rounded diet. However, most in the "genetic predisposition" school of thought nonetheless believe that the condition is much more likely to develop in the predisposed if the other factors are present over several years (excess alcohol, inactivity and failure to eat purine-neutralising foods).
Laziness?!? Wad the hell la....then doc say i walk too much!??! So which is it???
And i'm not an alcoholic!! #$@&*%XYZ...
Ok la i got nothing to say if i'm genetically predisposed loh.
Prevention
Low purine diet:
-To lower uric acid:
--cherries have been shown to reduce uric acid
--strawberries or blueberries (and other dark red/blue berries) are also reputed to be beneficial
---celery extracts (celery or celery seed either in capsule form or as a tea) is believed by many to reduce uric ---acid levels (although these are also diuretics).
---limit food high in protein such as meat, fish, poultry, or tofu to 8 ounces (226 grams) a day. Avoid entirely during a flare up.
Food to avoid:
-foods high in purines
--sweetbreads, kidneys, liver, brains, or other offal meats (Heng ah! i don't eat all these, so no loss!)
--sardines (I can live without)
--anchovies (Doesn't bother me too)
--scallops, prawns, and crabs (Oh..the pain. I shall save money on these then..)
--alcohol. Some claim that this applies especially to beer, on the basis that brewer's yeasts are very rich in purine. In view of the fact that most modern commercial beer contains trace amounts of yeast, this claim requires substantiation. Others claim that red wine is particularly bad for gout, though again it is difficult to find an explanation. Alcohol may also reduce the rate of uric acid excretion. (Ok won't die to not drink. I repeat, i am not an alocoholic!!)
--meat extracts, consommés, and gravies
--diet sodas (these act as diuretics in many people, causing uric acid to concentrate in the blood which can then easily precipitate) (Then can i take normal sodas then?!?!)
To avoid dehydration:
Drink plenty of liquids, especially water, to dilute and assist excretion of urates;
Use sparingly diuretic foods or medicines like aspirin, vitamin C, tea and alcohol.
Prevention better than cure lah huh. Ok no alcohol, less meat & seafood, more berries. Got it.
Some Boliao Findings
Famous People who had Gout
One of the most famous sufferers of gout was Henry VIII. Others include John Calvin, Charles Spurgeon, Khubilai Khan, Nostradamus, John Milton, Queen Anne, Isaac Newton, Henry Fielding, Samuel Johnson, Charles V, Pablo Neruda, Alfred Lord Tennyson, George IV, John Hancock, Thomas Jefferson, Karl Marx, William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham, Benjamin Disraeli, Kirk Reuter, David Wells, Rubens, Lennart Torstenson, Peter Gomes, Alexander Hamilton, George Mason, Benjamin Franklin, Jared Leto.
Wahahaha! So many famous people got it too! *gloats* I duno all of dem la huh but i do noe Isaac Newton, Karl Marx (Marx leh!!! Marx!!) & heard of Thomas Jefferson & Jared Leto.
Waliaoz..of all things to have in common with famous people, i could have shared equal intelligence, or talents, but i had to share a common illness. WAD THE F**K.
Anyway, an added point i would like to say before rounding up.
Before visiting the doc, i actually took panadols right? Well panadol is a kinda aspirin right? Well...even taking a generic medication like this when u do not know the problem, could be harmful. Like i found out after reading up on this Gout thing i have. Aspirins seemingly worsen the situation. -_-
In addition, i was thinking, since it's swelling, maybe dipping my foot in ice water could ease the swelling abit. But then, after reading, again i found out, uric crystalization is accelerated by low temperature so the use of an ice pack could also worsen the condition. Instead, i have to treat it with warmth to improve blood circulation, like taking warm baths etc. Wah liaoz...heng i didn't use the ice pack thing.
Ok moral of the story, don't anyhow self-treat ok, altho common generic beliefs seem harmless...lack of knowledge could jolly well backfire.
Meanwhile, take good care of yourselves lah. ¶ J poppycocked at 12:37:00 PM
After observing my foot on its apparent, since there wasn't any open wound, doc decided to do a blood test. *horrified* I was prepared to do a urine test tho, since it's more painless to pee than to bleed ya noe.
-_-''' I watched him puncture a small hole in my middle finger (darn, can't swear freely now) in abit of fear & squeeze out substantial amount of blood for him to test for my uric acid. Found out the amount of blood required is not the same when they were merely trying to find out your blood type back then. Zzzz...
While waiting for the machine to generate the results, doc made small talk & asked about my profession. Well, my answer got him sitting upright & before i know it, he was whipping out files, notes & findings to show me how there is a vast trend of exploitation going on in the local scene of the medical industry. Exploitation of patients & doctors for the benefit of insurance industry that is.
How am i involved? Well, coz HR practitioners are normally responsible for deciding which insurance broker & insurer to buy medical insurance for their company's staff from. And his point is that the company's HR is often oblivious to how big a margin the insurance companies get from the fee agreed, in turn shortchanging the medical health people, leaving the docs wif no choice but to compromise on the medication & for some, service, to the patients who come to them.
Can tell he was genuinely pissed. Fine, i will take note of dis if i ever have a chance to decide which insurance company to purchase medical coverage from.
Ok, anyway.
Apparently, my uric acid turns out to be pretty normal.
Doc says from the superfical observation, the diagnosis is that i've got Gouty Arthritis. Uric acid is but one indication of which & normally people with Gout has high uric acid. But he also mentioned wif low uric acid, it doesn't mean i can't get Gout.
Ok fine.
I asked for the cause, and he mentioned it could be because i have been taking too much food high in protein, like meat, liver, spleen (which i don't coz i'm not a meat-person) or due to large intake of alcohol like beer especially (which i didn't take in recent weeks). Better yet, he said it could be inborn for some.
Right. Inborn!? Thanks alot leh.
Then he also said it could be due to excessive walking.
Well. I can't help it if i have to walk right. -_-'''''
He gave me some medication to take which was said to be able to make the pain go away quickly, gout or not, so i could walk normally soon. I have yet to have lunch, so we'll see later.
I came back & did a quick search on super Wikipedia, and found the following:
Definition
Gout (aka gouty arthritis) is a form of arthritis caused by the accumulation of uric acid crystals in joints. It is an intensely painful disease, which in most cases affects only one joint (monoarthritis), most commonly the big toe.
Checked. Checked. Checked.
Signs & Symptoms
The classic picture is of excruciating and sudden pain, swelling, redness, warmness and stiffness in the joint. Low-grade fever may also be present. The patient usually suffers from two sources of pain. The crystals inside the joint cause intense pain whenever the affected area is moved. The inflammation of the tissues around the joint also causes the skin to be swollen, tender and sore if it is even slightly touched. For example, a blanket draping over the affected area would cause extreme pain.
Ok checked too. No fever though.
Cause
Although the exact cause of gout is not known, it is thought to be linked to defects in purine metabolism. Purine is an organic compound commonly found in the body and is metabolized by the body into uric acid. People with primary gout have either an increased production of uric acid or an impaired excretion of uric acid, or a combination of both.
Darn you! Purine metabolism!!
Many still believe that gout is caused by a combination of dietary factors and "laziness". In particular, many believe that gout develops following several years of excessive alcohol consumption combined with an ongoing lack of physical activity and a diet completely lacking in purine-neutralising foods, such as berries, as well as other specific fruit and vegetables (see below).
Others have refined this theory, saying that some are genetically predisposed to gout and some are not. As a result, people who are not predisposed can live over-indulgent lifestyles and not develop gout, while others who are predisposed can develop gout, despite being physically active and having a well-rounded diet. However, most in the "genetic predisposition" school of thought nonetheless believe that the condition is much more likely to develop in the predisposed if the other factors are present over several years (excess alcohol, inactivity and failure to eat purine-neutralising foods).
Laziness?!? Wad the hell la....then doc say i walk too much!??! So which is it???
And i'm not an alcoholic!! #$@&*%XYZ...
Ok la i got nothing to say if i'm genetically predisposed loh.
Prevention
Low purine diet:
-To lower uric acid:
--cherries have been shown to reduce uric acid
--strawberries or blueberries (and other dark red/blue berries) are also reputed to be beneficial
---celery extracts (celery or celery seed either in capsule form or as a tea) is believed by many to reduce uric ---acid levels (although these are also diuretics).
---limit food high in protein such as meat, fish, poultry, or tofu to 8 ounces (226 grams) a day. Avoid entirely during a flare up.
Food to avoid:
-foods high in purines
--sweetbreads, kidneys, liver, brains, or other offal meats (Heng ah! i don't eat all these, so no loss!)
--sardines (I can live without)
--anchovies (Doesn't bother me too)
--scallops, prawns, and crabs (Oh..the pain. I shall save money on these then..)
--alcohol. Some claim that this applies especially to beer, on the basis that brewer's yeasts are very rich in purine. In view of the fact that most modern commercial beer contains trace amounts of yeast, this claim requires substantiation. Others claim that red wine is particularly bad for gout, though again it is difficult to find an explanation. Alcohol may also reduce the rate of uric acid excretion. (Ok won't die to not drink. I repeat, i am not an alocoholic!!)
--meat extracts, consommés, and gravies
--diet sodas (these act as diuretics in many people, causing uric acid to concentrate in the blood which can then easily precipitate) (Then can i take normal sodas then?!?!)
To avoid dehydration:
Drink plenty of liquids, especially water, to dilute and assist excretion of urates;
Use sparingly diuretic foods or medicines like aspirin, vitamin C, tea and alcohol.
Prevention better than cure lah huh. Ok no alcohol, less meat & seafood, more berries. Got it.
Some Boliao Findings
Famous People who had Gout
One of the most famous sufferers of gout was Henry VIII. Others include John Calvin, Charles Spurgeon, Khubilai Khan, Nostradamus, John Milton, Queen Anne, Isaac Newton, Henry Fielding, Samuel Johnson, Charles V, Pablo Neruda, Alfred Lord Tennyson, George IV, John Hancock, Thomas Jefferson, Karl Marx, William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham, Benjamin Disraeli, Kirk Reuter, David Wells, Rubens, Lennart Torstenson, Peter Gomes, Alexander Hamilton, George Mason, Benjamin Franklin, Jared Leto.
Wahahaha! So many famous people got it too! *gloats* I duno all of dem la huh but i do noe Isaac Newton, Karl Marx (Marx leh!!! Marx!!) & heard of Thomas Jefferson & Jared Leto.
Waliaoz..of all things to have in common with famous people, i could have shared equal intelligence, or talents, but i had to share a common illness. WAD THE F**K.
Anyway, an added point i would like to say before rounding up.
Before visiting the doc, i actually took panadols right? Well panadol is a kinda aspirin right? Well...even taking a generic medication like this when u do not know the problem, could be harmful. Like i found out after reading up on this Gout thing i have. Aspirins seemingly worsen the situation. -_-
In addition, i was thinking, since it's swelling, maybe dipping my foot in ice water could ease the swelling abit. But then, after reading, again i found out, uric crystalization is accelerated by low temperature so the use of an ice pack could also worsen the condition. Instead, i have to treat it with warmth to improve blood circulation, like taking warm baths etc. Wah liaoz...heng i didn't use the ice pack thing.
Ok moral of the story, don't anyhow self-treat ok, altho common generic beliefs seem harmless...lack of knowledge could jolly well backfire.
Meanwhile, take good care of yourselves lah. ¶ J poppycocked at 12:37:00 PM