Gout is a painful condition that can lead to joint damage and kidney problems. Gout crystals are the underlying cause of gout flare-ups.
当血液中有太多尿酸时，痛风晶体会形成。The uric acid crystallizes between your joints. This leads to inflammation, swelling, and pain. Breaking down gout crystals and reducing the amount of uric acid in your body can help treat gout flare-ups. These steps can also help prevent future flare-ups from occurring.
继续阅读以发现更多有关痛风晶体以及您可以对它们做些什么。
Gout crystals are made up of crystallized uric acid, a chemical that is naturally found in your bloodstream. Your body makes it when you process foods that contain purines. Purines are building blocks that your body needs to make DNA and RNA. They’re found in foods you eat, mainly meat and meat products. Purines are broken down into uric acid.
Normally, your body gets rid of extra uric acid through your kidneys or digestive system. But when there is too much uric acid in your bloodstream, it can build up and form tiny crystals in the spaces between your joints. Crystal buildup can lead to inflammation and a painful condition called痛风.
Gout crystals are also called monosodium urate crystals.
Gout crystals that have built up can lead to significant joint pain. The pain might be contained to one joint, or you may feel it in different joints throughout your body. Affected joints will generally be red and swollen.
Gout crystals can sometimes build up and cause visible lumps under your skin. These lumps are calledtophi, and they are usually not painful or tender. Over time, however, they can lead to permanent joint damage.
The buildup of uric acid that leads to gout crystals can also lead to problems with your kidneys, including painful肾结石. You might also have a fever and feel very run down or exhausted. For some people with gout crystals, flare-ups of inflammation are rare and resolve quickly. Other people will experience chronic pain.
当血液中有太多尿酸时，痛风晶体会形成。如果您有metabolic conditionsuch as diabetes or if your kidney function is weakened. Extra uric acid is sometimes also caused by diet and lifestyle factors. For example, people who eat diets of purine-rich foods such as red meats, or who regularly consume large amounts of alcohol, might also develop gout crystals.
Gout crystals can form in any joint in your body, but the base of your big toe is the most common location. This happens because uric acid is very sensitive to temperature. Since your toes are far away from your heart, they are generally the coldest place on your body. This makes it easier for uric acid to crystallize at your toes. Other common locations include your:
- knees
- ankles
- wrists
- elbows
- finger joints
- 脚关节
获得诊断的第一步是联系医生。您和您的医生可以讨论您的症状和病史。您的医生可能希望您进行血液工作，以寻找升高的尿酸水平。您可能还需要成像测试，例如X射线和CT扫描才能寻找晶体。
To make a final diagnosis, your doctor will do a test calledarthrocentesis. This procedure is done by inserting a needle into the affected joint and removing some joint fluid. You won’t need to have an arthrocentesis every time you have a gout flare-up, but it can help make a diagnosis. You can generally address flare-ups by talking to a doctor about your symptoms and having blood work done.
The first step in treating gout crystals is treating the inflammation and pain they cause. Options to treat the pain of gout crystals include:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).These might include prescription medications such as Tivorbex or Celebrex or over-the-counter medications such as Aleve or Advil.
- Corticosteroids.These medications can bring down inflammation. You might take them by mouth or receive an injection.
- Colchicine.This targeted medication relieves the pain and inflammation caused by gout crystals.
Additional treatments will focus on dissolving crystals and preventing new crystals from forming. This is done by reducing the amount of uric acid in your body. Having less uric acid will allow your body to effectively process the uric acid that is in your bloodstream and break down the gout crystals.
三种类型的药物可以帮助减少尿酸。适合您的类型将取决于痛风晶体的严重程度以及您拥有的任何相关健康状况。选项包括旨在：
- lower the production of uric acid, such as allopurinol
- 增加尿液中的尿酸输出量，例如probenecid
- break down uric acid, such as pegloticase
Your doctor will also recommend diet and lifestyle changes that can helpreduce uric acid生产。他们可能会提出更健康饮食的建议，建议low-impact exercises, and advise you to avoid alcohol. You can read some gout-friendly meal tips这里.
Tips for relieving pain from gout crystals
Gout crystals can cause pain and discomfort. Your doctor can give you medications to help you manage the pain, but you can also take some steps on your own. You might try to:
- apply ice to your joint
- elevate your affected joint
- 得到good night’s rest
- drink plenty of water
- avoid alcohol or beverages high in sugar
- 避免海鲜，红肉和其他高嘌呤的食物
伪造is a gout-like condition caused by calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate crystals that form in joint cartilage. The crystals are made of a substance naturally produced by your body called pyrophosphate. Too much pyrophosphate can lead to crystals forming and to pseudogout.
有些患有假期的人根本没有任何症状。其他人会在受影响的关节中患上疼痛，发红和流动性下降。
与痛风不同，伪造通常以大型关节（例如膝盖或肩膀）开始。这种情况可能会迅速开始并自行解决，或者可能是慢性的。在某些情况下，慢性伪造似乎很像rheumatoid arthritis.
读this guide有关如何比较痛风和伪造的更多信息。
当血液中有太多尿酸时，痛风晶体会形成。可以增加血液中尿酸量的危险因素包括：
- having overweight or obesity
- eating foods high in purine, including organ meats, red meats, and seafood
- high alcohol consumption
- high blood pressure
- diabetes
- 心脏疾病
- kidney disease
- taking some blood pressure medications
- taking low-dose aspirin regularly
- having a family history of gout
- 在最近的手术、器官移植、或创伤
Gout crystals can affect people of any gender, but men are more likely to develop them at an early age. In a
If you have gout, it’s chronic and can flare any time new gout crystals form. The best way to manage the formation of gout crystals is to manage your body’s production of uric acid.
You can work with your doctor to help keep your uric acid levels low and avoid flare-ups. This will likely include changes to your diet and lifestyle, and might also include taking medication to help your body reduce uric acid.
当血液中有太多尿酸时，痛风晶体会形成。Uric acid is a naturally occurring substance that your body makes from breaking down foods that contain purine. Too much uric acid can cause crystals to form in your joints. This can lead to inflammation and pain.
You can treat gout crystals by taking medications to help manage your pain and by taking steps to reduce the uric acid in your bloodstream. A doctor can treat you, but they can also recommend you to a physician trained to treat conditions like gout called arheumatologist. They can work with you to develop the best plan to manage your gout.
