Gout is characterized by strong and painful recurring attacks on the joints. It predominantly attacks the metatarsophalangeal joint of the big toe. If untreated for more than a year, it can lead to joint and kidney injury.
Gout presents itself through strong, painful recurring attacks on the joints. Normally, just one joint is affected per attack (often the big toe). The inflammation of the joint is caused by the accumulation of uric acid in the joints, which can destroy the joint with repeated occurrences. The cause of high levels of uric acid is usually a disorder of the uric acid elimination process of the kidneys, a disorder than can be genetically inherited.
Overweight men whose family members have had gout are likely to also be affected by gout. Episodes of gout mostly occur after a rich meal or after a long fasting period. The pain is often accompanied by redness, swelling, and a hot sensation over the affected joint. Fever might be present.
Since uric acid can accumulate in the urinary tract, can kidney stones (see kidney stones, urinary tract stones) and be the result after years of untreated course of kidney damage. The joints can be greatly damaged by the uric acid crystals. The attack of gout is treated with anti-inflammatory drugs (called NSAIDs or NSAIDs). After an attack of gout, various measures are recommended, the aim is to reduce the excessive uric acid in the blood. These include a diet avoiding strong uric acid-forming foods (such as meat, offal, sardines), reduction of alcohol intake (since alcohol inhibits the excretion of uric acid), normalization of body weight and sufficient fluid intake (at least 1.5 liters/day). Furthermore, the concerned patients receive a drug which reduces the formation of uric acid. Foods, which lead to lower uric acid, dairy products, eggs, vegetables (with the exception of legumes), fruits and bread.
Several years of work in academia, medical practice and finally commercialization make it possible to provide an end-to-end process to help users to “find the appropriate medical help based on their present symptoms”. Below you will find a short explanation, showing you which part of the platform will help you best in finding the appropriate medical support.
Proceed as follows to enter your current symptoms.
Click on the appropriate body part on the picture. Select one/multiple symptoms corresponding to your complaint.
You can also add symptoms by typing your medical complaint in the search box and selecting the best matching suggestion.
Note: Your information will be kept anonymously.
Once you have selected all applicable symptoms, click the “analyze disease pattern”-button.
Accordingly, you will get a list of possible diseases and matching doctor categories who can further help you.
You can inform yourself about the possible diseases by reading the related information. But you can also return to the previous step and add more symptoms or delete already added ones to further narrow down your disease pattern.
Click on the desired doctor category to find a doctor who can help you.
If you are logged in with your profile, you will be displayed the appropriate doctors in your area. Otherwise you can enter an address in the “address” field and you will be displayed a doctor’s list around that specified address.
You will receive further information about the displayed doctors when you press on “details”.
Online bookable doctors in your area will be indicated with the notation “Book appointment” or “Book externally”, additionally they will be displayed on top of the list for your convenience.
Click on “Book appointment” to start the online appointment booking process with the desired doctor.
Please select an available appointment. “Green“ appointments are booked directly. “Red“ appointments need to be confirmed by the doctor.
Enter your general personal and health information.
Enter your present medical symptoms.
Enter your mobile phone number to identify yourself and you can finalize the appointment booking.
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