The Musculoskeletal System
Lesson 2: Diseases and Disorders of the Feet
Section IV: Arthritis of the Feet
2-14
2-14. GOUT
Paragraph 1-10 discusses gout as a musculoskeletal disease. Some information about gout is appropriate here because of its relation to arthritis. Gout may be described as an arthritis-associated disease that can attack the big toe of the foot.
a. History of Gout. This disease, first described by Greek and Roman physicians, was known to Hippocrates in the 5th century B.C. In that century, Byzantine physicians treated gout with colchicine, a drug that is still used to treat joint pain. Gout became well known in the Middle Ages when King Henry VIII of England was afflicted with the disease. It was known as the disease of the wealthy because it was associated with fatty diets and alcohol, items only the rich could afford.
b. Gout Today. Gout is common today and may be aggravated by an overly rich diet. The cause is too much uric acid in the body from faulty kidney functioning. The body does not process protein properly; therefore, uric acid builds up in the joint spaces. This disease is thought to be hereditary in 10 or 20 percent of the cases. See paragraph 1-10 for signs and symptoms of gout as well as treatment of gout.
