Suffering from persistent joint pains? All imaging studies appear normal? This could be because your uric acid levels (hyperuricemia) are high.
If you're experiencing unexplained joint discomfort, consulting an ortho specialist can help identify whether elevated uric acid is the underlying cause.
In this article, we explore:
- The symptoms and effects of high uric acid
- Why it increases
- The measures to keep it within normal levels to protect your joints
What is Uric Acid?
Uric acid is produced when your body processes (breaks down) purines — a nitrogen-containing organic substance found in most foods and in every cell of your body. As a waste product, it is mostly filtered by the kidneys and flushed out in urine — though sometimes levels can be higher than usual.
Uric acid is like a double-edged sword. While high levels of uric acid can lead to various health issues, it can also play a protective role in preventing certain conditions.
Several factors can push uric acid levels higher than normal — let’s explore them next.
What Causes High Uric Acid?
Hyperuricemia occurs when the body produces too much uric acid or if the kidneys fail to eliminate it efficiently. Factors contributing to elevated uric acid levels include:
- High-Purine Foods — Meat, seafood, mushrooms, beans, and peas break down into uric acid.
- Water Pills (Diuretics) — Medications for high blood pressure can lead to uric acid accumulation.
- Alcohol Consumption — Kidneys prioritise alcohol waste removal over uric acid, causing buildup.
- Impaired Kidney Function — Damaged or diseased kidneys cannot effectively filter and remove uric acid.
- Underactive Thyroid — This condition causes reduced plasma flow to the kidneys and impaired filtration, increasing uric acid levels.
- Excess Body Weight — Obesity is strongly associated with elevated uric acid levels.
- Immunosuppressant Medications — Certain drugs can increase uric acid in the body.
- Cancer and Treatment — Rapid cell breakdown from cancer or chemotherapy releases uric acid into the bloodstream.
So, how can you tell if your uric acid levels are high? — Let’s uncover the symptoms next.
Also Read: Understanding the Connection Between Uric Acid, Gout & Joint Pain
Symptoms of High Uric Acid
Interestingly, hyperuricemia itself doesn’t manifest any (noticeable) symptoms. However, when the condition progresses to gout, the symptoms become pretty evident.
Here’s how symptoms manifest when gout occurs:
- Severe joint pain that’s more concentrated in the ankles, knees, and big toe
- Swelling, redness, and warmth in the affected joints
- Extreme tenderness in the affected site — resulting in extreme pain even to the lightest touch/movement
- Limited joint flexibility and mobility
Uric acid triggers joint pain and affects your mobility — let's see how in the next section.
How Does Uric Acid Cause Joint Pain?
There is a systemic connection between high uric acid and joint pain:
- When your kidneys cannot process uric acid, it leads to hyperuricemia.
- The high levels of uric acid seep out into the bloodstream and deposit in the soft tissues of the joints — forming sharp, needle-like urate crystals.
- These crystals act like foreign invasive bodies, triggering a severe inflammatory response where the immune system sends white blood cells to the affected area.
- However, this reaction worsens the inflammation and releases various chemicals and inflammatory mediators, which cause the classic symptoms of a gout attack — intense pain, redness, swelling, and a feeling of warmth in the joint.
The most common site for gout attacks is the big toe, but other joints can also be affected.
Simple dietary and lifestyle changes can significantly help manage uric acid — let’s explore them next.
How to Bring Down Uric Acid Levels Naturally?
Worried about hyperuricemia? Simple dietary changes can help keep your uric acid levels under control:
- Drink plenty of water — to facilitate better kidney function and flushing out of excess uric acid.
- Limit purine-rich foods like anchovies, sardines, offal, red meat, sugary drinks, and beer.
- Increase your fibre intake — to lower uric acid levels and regulate blood glucose levels in your body.
- Take caffeine in moderate amounts — to minimise uric acid levels and speed up the excretion process.
- Increase your intake of cherry juice and fresh, tart cherries — to minimise gout attacks.
- Enrich your food intake with low-fat milk, fresh curd, and cheese — to lower serum uric acid levels.
Remember, these natural methods should complement, not replace, professional medical advice, as high uric acid can lead to gout and other issues. Also, to further aid the prevention of hyperuricemia, you can embrace the following lifestyle changes:
- Maintain an ideal body weight — it can make a drastic difference to how your body processes uric acid.
- Avoid beer and other forms of alcohol.
- Limit your sugar intake and avoid foods containing high-fructose corn syrup that increase uric acid.
- Meditate, practise deep breathing, and do yoga to keep stress under control.
By making consistent lifestyle and dietary adjustments, you can effectively manage uric acid levels naturally, alleviating joint pain and helping to prevent gout flare-ups.
Take Control of Uric Acid and Joint Well-Being
Elevated uric acid is frequently an overlooked cause of recurring joint discomfort. If left unchecked, it may lead to gout and chronic arthritis. You can protect your joint health and enhance your overall quality of life by:
- Understanding the factors that contribute to high uric acid levels
- Recognising how it affects joint health
- Implementing straightforward strategies to lower uric acid naturally
And the encouraging news is that high uric acid-related joint pain is manageable and responds well to medical treatment. With appropriate medication, symptoms can typically be controlled within 3 days.
Experiencing persistent joint pain or concerned about your uric acid levels? Consult healthcare professionals for proper diagnosis and treatment.
At Sri Balaji Hospital — a leading multispeciality hospital and one of the best orthopaedic hospitals in Chennai — we help you effectively manage uric acid levels and protect your joint health. Book your appointment today!
