Leong Keng Hong Arthritis and Medical Clinic has presented a presentation on Gout and its symptoms, causes and treatments in Singapore. A/Prof. Leong Keng Hong is a Consultant Rheumatologist at Gleneagles Medical Centre and the owner of Leong Keng Hong Arthritis and Medical Clinic, Singapore. He is an Adjunct Associate professor of Yong Yoo Lin School Of Medicine, National University of Singapore. He and his expert panel in the centre provide treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, gout, scleroderma, osteoarthritis and other rheumatological problems. To find more information visit here http://www.leongkenghong.com/eng/gout.html

1. Get Your Gout Problem Solved
at Specialized Arthritis and
Medical Clinics in Singapore
A/Prof Leong Keng Hong
Senior Consultant Rheumatologist

2. Gout
Gout is a kind of arthritis characterized by recurrent
attacks of acute inflammatory arthritis-a red, hot swollen
joint. The most commonly affected region is the
metatarsal-phalangeal joint at the base of the big toe.
Gout is caused due to increased level of uric acid in
blood which crystallizes and gets deposited in the joints,
tendons and neighboring tissues causing inflammation,
swelling and pain.
(image resource : http://www.gnet.org/gout-no-longer-just-the-affliction-of-kings/)

3. Signs and Symptoms
Gout has following signs and symptoms:
Warmth, pain, swelling, and extreme tenderness in the
joints, usually a big toe joint. This symptom is called podagra.
Very red or purplish skin around the affected joint. The joint
may be infected.
Limited movement in the affected joint.
Peeling and itching of the skin around the affected joint as
the gout gets better.
Gout may lead to inflammation of the fluid sacs (bursae)
that cushion the tissues, particularly in the elbow (olecranon
bursitis) and knee (prepatellar bursitis).
Gout can also affect the joints of the feet, ankles, knees,
wrists, fingers, and elbows.
Symptoms may occur after an illness or surgery.

4. Causes
Gout can seem to flare up without any specific cause.
However, the causes of gout can be-
Certain conditions related to diet and body weight, such as
being overweight, eating a diet rich in meat and seafood
(high-purine foods), and drinking too much alcohol.
There are many medicines that may increase uric acid
concentration, such as regular use of aspirin or niacin or use
of medicines that reduce the amount of salt and water in the
body (diuretics).
Major illness or certain medical conditions, such as rapid
weight loss or high blood pressure.

5. Treatment
Home Treatment: To decrease the pain of an attack- rest the
affected joint until the attack eases, elevate painful joints, use
ice to reduce the swelling and take non-steroidal anti-
inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) to reduce pain.
(image resource : http://www.top10homeremedies.com/home-remedies/home-remedies-for-gout.html)

6. Medicine choices
This treatment uses short and long term medicines. Short-
term medicines such as NSAIDS, Colchicine and
corticosteriods, etc can be used to reduce pain and
inflammation during acute attack. Long term medicines are
used to lower uric acid levels in blood. These medicines
include -Uricosuric agents, Xanthine oxidase inhibitors,
Colchicine and Pegloticase (Krystexxa).
If gout symptoms appear off and on without treatment for
more than 10 years, uric acid crystals may have been built up
to form tophi. If tophi are causing infection, pain, pressure, and
deformed joints, the doctor may be able to treat them with
medicines. But if gout conditions don’t respond to medication,
the doctors may recommend a surgery to remove them.

7. These treatment methods and procedures are available
at many speciality clinics in Singapore. One of such
clinics is Leong Keng Hong Arthritis and Medical Clinic
in Singapore which offers services to cure- joint pain &
arthritis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic
lupus erythematosus (SLE), inflammatory muscle
disease (eg. polymyositis, dermatomyositis),
scleroderma, systemic sclerosis, gout and many more.

8. CONCLUSION
Gout, if not treated on time, becomes horribly painful and
unbearable. So as soon as any of the signs and symptoms
of gout appears, one should immediately consult a
specialist. In Singapore, there are many clinics where
treatment for gout is provided and one of them is
Leong Keng Hong Arthritis and Medical Clinic. It
provides all the treatment facilities and services to cure
gout. That’s why one should visit a renowned and
specialized clinic that assures results in little time.

9. A/Prof Leong Keng Hong
Senior Consultant Rheumatologist
MBBS (Singapore)
Master of Medicine (Singapore)
Doctor of Medicine
Member of the Royal College of Physicians (UK)
Fellow of the Academy of Medicine, (Singapore)
Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (Edinburgh)

10. Tel: (65) 6472 4337
Fax: (65) 6472 0691
Email: info@leongkenghong.com
Website: www.leongkenghong.com
Operating Hours:
Monday to Saturday: 9 am to 12.30pm
Monday to Friday: 2.30pm to 4.30pm
Close on Sunday & PH
Leong Keng Hong Arthritis and Medical Clinic
6 Napier Road, #04-18 Gleneagles Medical Centre,
Singapore 258499