Gout and Thanksgiving

The holiday season has arrived, and this is the time for delicious food and festivities. Often, people wake up over the upcoming, post-Thanksgiving weekend with a swollen, painful, hot big toe joint. They do not recall any injury or problems with the feet over the holiday and wonder what could have caused this. Gout! Gout is an arthritic condition that affects joints. The big toe joint of the foot is the most common location, but other joints can be involved. Certain foods have high levels of purines, which can cause increased uric acid in the blood stream, and this can cause a flare up of gout. Holiday foods, such as red meat, organ meat, game, cheese, leafy green vegetables, shrimp, beer, wine, and others can lead to a gouty flare. Additionally, being male, a post menopausal woman, or taking certain prescription drugs, can increase your chances of devleoping gout along with the diet full of foods that increase uric acid levels in the body when metabolized. If you have foot pain over the holidays, give us a call! 708-763-0580. Dr. Bender