There are various symptoms of gout in the legs, such as pain, swelling, feeling hot, and looking red. If not treated properly,Symptoms of gout in the legs can interfere with activities, even make it difficult for you to walk.
Gout is one of the most common causes of arthritis in the feet. This disease occurs because uric acid levels are too high in the body, so the mineral settles and forms sharp crystals and attacks the joints.
This can make the joints affected by gout become swollen, red, and painful. Gout attacks can occur in any joint, but are most common in the big toe, knee, and ankle. Symptoms of gout in the legs usually appear suddenly and last for 5-10 days.
Various Symptoms of Gout in the Feet
Here are some of the symptoms of gout in the feet that often appear:
1. Joint pain in the big toe, ankle, and knee
The most common symptom of gout in the feet is excruciating pain or tenderness in the affected joints, usually in the big toe, sole of the foot, ankle, and knee. Pain due to gout symptoms can feel like a prickling, throbbing, or stinging and burning sensation.
When these symptoms appear, people who experience them can find it difficult to move. In fact, moving their legs even a little can be very difficult and this can make it difficult for them or even unable to walk.
The appearance of gout symptoms in the legs usually recurs at night or in the morning when you just wake up, then subsides within a few days. However, sometimes, joint pain due to gout can last for weeks.
2. Swelling around the joints affected by gout
The next symptom of gout in the legs is swelling around the joints affected by gout. Swelling can occur due to irritation and inflammation of the joints due to puncture of uric acid crystals.
3. Range of motion is limited
Severe pain and swelling in the affected joint can make the joint stiff and difficult to move. This can make it difficult for people who experience recurrence of gout symptoms in the legs to move and do activities for several days.
4. Changes in the skin around the affected joint
Changes in the skin around the joints are also common symptoms of gout in the feet. The skin around the affected joint will usually look reddish or purplish, feel stiff, and warm to the touch. In addition, the skin may also appear stretched.
In certain cases, especially uric acid disease that has been around for a long time and is not treated properly, the buildup of uric acid can cause the formation of lumps on the skin that feel hard and rough. These lumps are called tofus.
Tophus lumps in uric acid are usually painless, but sometimes can be painful. These bumps often appear around the ankles or toe joints, but they can also appear on the elbows, fingers, and wrists.
Symptoms of gout in the legs usually subside on their own within a few days. However, to relieve pain and swelling in the legs due to gout, you can apply cold compresses to the feet, rest, and take pain relievers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen.
If you experience gout symptoms in the legs as mentioned above, especially if this complaint has been felt for weeks or has recurred frequently, you should check with your doctor.
It is important to remember, if not treated properly, uric acid levels that are too high and accumulate in the body can not only cause problems in the feet, but also other health problems, such as kidney stones.
In addition to medication, to keep uric acid levels normal, you are also advised to stay away from alcoholic beverages and foods that can increase uric acid, exercise regularly, and drink enough water.