Hi
Gout is a very painful condition, and I am sure you can see it in your boyfriend when he is having an attack. It is caused when the uric acid levels in the blood rises too high and start to crystalise within the joint, causing inflammation of the said joint.
The good news is that each attack is easily treated with a trip to your family doctor, who will prescribe him either some oral tablets (colchicine works very well), or in some cases, an injection. With the medications and some rest, the attack will usually go away.
The tricky part is to control the gout for the long term. This includes changing of lifestyle, and avoiding foods that are rich in PURINE. Each patient is different and hence your boyfriend should speak to his family doctor at length to discuss what he needs to avoid specifically.
The goal is the minimise the frequency of attacks, so the patient can lead a normal life. If diet control is not enough to stop the attacks, the family doctor may need to start the patient on a medication called ALLOPURINOL to lower the serum uric acid levels.
So, bring your boyfriend to your friendly neighbourhood GP the next time he has a gout attack.
Cheers!
Dr Seah Heap Yong
