While there are a lot of things wrong in the world that we live in today, there are many things that were thought impossible in the past. Some of those things are various advancements in medicine that occurred in the past few years, and these advancements are an opportunity for people with various conditions to live a normal and happy life, such as gout and scleroderma.

What is gout?

When the body has extra uric acid that is not expelled out of the body by kidneys, crystals tend to form around joints, which causes them to get inflamed. That inflammation is then experienced as pain and swelling in those joints, which is what gout essentially is.

It is very common for gout to occur in the joints of the big toe, however, it is not uncommon for gout to attack other joints, like the ones in hands, wrists, knees, ankles and elbows. Gout symptoms can occur very quickly, and in some cases, a person can be healthy before going to bed, only to wake up with gout.

That is because eating a lot of purine-rich foods before bed, such as citrus fruit, meat, seafood, or tomatoes causes an increased level of uric acid in the body. Similar thing happens if someone drinks bigger amounts of alcohol in a single sitting, which is also referred to as binge drinking.

You can find more information regarding gout, and how it can be treated if you visit https://arthritiscare.com.au/service/gout, but you can simply consult with your doctor about the condition as well. If you happen to experience sudden symptoms like joint pain, you should not ignore it and consultations are highly recommended.

The big toe is often the targeted area for gout

What is scleroderma?

The world scleroderma on its own means hard skin, and that is exactly what this condition is. Areas affected by scleroderma tend to have too much protein called collagen, which is the protein responsible for skins strength. It is present in everyone’s body, and it usually vanishes with age, which is why the skin sags, however, when someone has a lot of it in certain areas, the skin is very hard and dry.

There are two types of scleroderma, the localized type, and the systemic sclerosis. The local version only affects the skin, and sometimes tissue below, while the systemic affects connective tissue throughout the whole body, including blood vessels, which is dangerous.

If you wish to find out more about scleroderma, like the symptoms, diagnostics, and the treatment, you should check out https://arthritiscare.com.au/service/scleroderma, or visit your local doctor that can refer you to a specialist for even more information.

Areas affected by scleroderma

Final word

Medical advancements in the past few years are truly wonderful, and you should take advantage of them if you are financially capable of doing so. While these conditions do not have a cure, treating them will certainly make your life much better, which is always better than life in pain.