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Long-Term Gout Pain
by Erik Steel
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Overview
Gout is a form of arthritis caused by higher than usual level of uric acid. Some people have only one attack of gout, but others go on to develop a chronic (recurring) form of the condition.
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Identification
About half of people who have had one gouty attack will have future attacks, according to Medline Plus. When several flareups occur, the condition is known as chronic gouty arthritis.
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Impact
People with chronic gouty arthritis may have fairly constant pain and come to have deformed joints with a loss of range in motion, according to Medline Plus.
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Features
People who have had gout for years may develop tophi, which, according to Medline Plus, are skin lumps around joints.
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Treatment
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or colchicine (a painkiller) are used to lower the chances of develop gouty symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic.
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Management
The complications of chronic gout are managed with medications that stop the production of uric acid (xanthine oxidase inhibitors) or that help the body clear uric acid (probenecid), according to the Mayo Clinic.
