Gout

Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Gout, a form of arthritis, causes painful inflammation around the joints. The disease is known to induce swelling, redness, and in some cases, the development of large bumps called tophi around affected joints. In more severe cases where gout can’t be controlled by oral medication, infusion therapy is prescribed. Learn more about the disease and how InfuseAble Care’s Gout Center of Excellence can provide relief.

Why Seek Treatment?

If left untreated, Gout can cause serious damage to your joints. Overtime, severe joint damage may occur, leading to the erosion of the joints and possible deformity. It’s important to work with your doctor to manage gout and follow all prescribed treatments.

What Causes Gout?

Gout is the result of the buildup of uric acid crystals around the joints. Your body naturally produces uric acid as a byproduct of the foods you consume (purine in foods like red meat, seafood, and alcohol converts to uric acid in the body). Normally, your body is able to expel uric acid when you urinate. For people with gout, the body isn’t able to dispose of the high levels of uric acid. As a result, the crystals collect around the joints.

Eventually, excess buildup leads to pain, redness, swelling, and inflammation. Symptoms may come on suddenly without prior warning, often at night. In some cases, large bumps called tophi may develop around the affected joint. The onset of pain is called a gout attack or a gout flare, and can last anywhere from a few days to weeks at a time. The most common affected joint is the big toe, but gout can form on any joint in the body, including wrists, fingers, and elbows.

Diet is normally the primary cause of gout, but family history, diabetes, obesity, kidney disease, congestive heart failure, and hypertension are also risk factors for gout. Certain medications, including diuretics, may also increase your risk.

Treating Gout

Your doctor may perform several tests if you are showing symptoms of gout. These could include:

Ultrasounds to identify urate crystals
Blood tests to measure uric acid levels
X-rays to examine joints
Joint fluid test to look at the fluid building up around the affected joints.

If you are diagnosed with gout, your doctor will likely prescribe medications to help reduce swelling and inflammation. Medication may also be prescribed to help lower the uric acid levels in your body. Common medications include anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, and colchicine.

If gout symptoms do not improve with oral medications, your doctor may recommend IV therapy. KRYSTEXXA® is a biologic infusible medication that is approved by the FDA to treat gout in adult patients. The medication is administered intravenously approximately every two weeks for a length of time designated by your referring provider.

Unlike other gout medications, KRYSTEXXA helps treat the cause and symptoms of gout. The medication works by converting uric acid crystals into a water-soluble substance called allantoin. Patients receiving KRYSTEXXA infusions often experience a dramatic reduction in symptoms and benefit from lower uric acid levels.

Get Started with Infusion Therapy

InfuseAble Care has experience in treating patients with chronic gout. Our facilities are specially designed to provide industry-leading infusion treatment for gout patients. Our clinics feature day-of uric acid level testing, expert KRYSTEXXA infusion nurses, and the fastest-in-industry referral process.

Talk with your doctor about KRYSTEXXA IV therapy at InfuseAble Care. Providers can submit a completed referral form and either fax or email it to our team.

Questions? Contact us directly. We would love to assist you on your journey to better health.

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Submitting A Referral

For Referring Providers

If you’d like to refer a TED patient to FlexCare Infusion Centers, complete a referral form and fax or email it to our intake team.

Compete Referral Form

Have Questions?

If you have any questions about thyroid eye disease or infusion therapy, contact us directly. We look forward to helping you on your journey to better health.