How to Diagnose Gout

Gout is a type of arthritis characterized by sudden attacks of pain in the joints. The cause is a buildup of urate crystals in the joints. These are needle-like in shape, making them painful. The buildup can result from a diet of certain foods such as organ meat (e.g. pig intestines or liver), mushrooms, asparagus and herring. It can also result from failure of the kidney to excrete uric acid fast enough. Gout is treatable.

Instructions

• 1

  Have your doctor perform a joint fluid test. Under a microscope, the joint fluid may reveal urate crystals.

• 2

  Have the doctor also check the joint fluid for bacteria. This could help in differentiating your problem from gout if an infection is found.

• 3

  Undergo a blood test to determine uric acid level. Blood tests are not very conclusive though. Some with gout have normal blood levels; some with high uric acid level don't have gout.

• 4

  Have the doctor check the amount of lead in your blood. Lead poisoning is an under-diagnosed cause of gout (as is alcoholism).

• 5

  Have the doctor check other possible diagnoses if the tests for gout come back negative. Such possibilities include various kinds of arthritis as well as pseudogout (another form of crystal accumulation), trauma and bursitis. See "Resources" for a link to the list of possibilities.