High Uric Acid Symptoms

The body produces uric acid as a waste by breaking down a substance known as purine, which is found in several types of foods. And this waste is carried in the blood, passes through the kidneys and eliminated in the urine. However, in some cases, the body remains unable to flush out the required amount of uric acid, or it starts producing too much of it. This condition of high uric acid level is clinically known as hyperuricemia. Generally, it does not become a source of concern. However, in some cases, people who showed high uric acid levels in their body, were found to develop medical conditions such as gout, kidney stones or experienced kidney failure. Causes which have been associated with elevated uric acid symptoms include alcohol abuse, genetics, certain drugs, caffeine and niacin or vitamin B3.

Diseases such as Hodgkin's disease (a malignant disorder in which there is progressive (but painless) enlargement of lymph tissue followed by enlargement of the spleen and liver) hypothyroidism, leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, obesity, and psoriasis are also considered to be responsible for high uric acid level. Consumption of foods high in purine are also related with the condition. Such foods include organ meat, game meat, anchovies, herring, gravy, dried beans, dried peas and other foods. The symptoms indicate the presence of the condition have been described in the following.

Symptoms of Too Much Uric Acid

The symptoms which occur in people diagnosed with high uric acid level are actually caused by the complications of the condition. As mentioned earlier, this disorder could cause gout, kidney stones or kidney failure. The characteristic symptoms of each of these complications are as follows:

Gout
Gout occurs when there is an accumulation of uric acid crystals in a joint. Severe pain that becomes worse even with light pressure, such as that of a blanket, is the most prominent symptom of gout. Other symptoms include warmth, swelling and tenderness in the affected joint. Peeling of the skin around the affected joint is also a manifestation of gout, apart from restricted movements in the affected joint and fever.

Kidney Stones
Affected people may not notice any symptoms until a stone has logged itself in the ureter. And when it does, it may cause pain in the back, side, abdomen, groin or genitals. Painful and frequent urination, nausea or vomiting and blood in urine are the other symptoms.

Kidney failure
If symptoms such as decreased urination, swelling in the limbs, shortness of breath, confusion and drowsiness occur in someone with high uric acid, then it may indicate that he has kidney failure. Other symptoms of the same include fatigue, confusion, seizure, or chest pain.

Although experiencing high uric acid symptoms as mentioned above indicate problems with kidney or a condition such as gout, it is not necessary that the underlying cause is high uric acid. This is because, these three conditions could be caused by other factors as well. So it is advisable to go for a medical checkup if any of these symptoms show up. And if hyperuricemia is found to be the cause, then apart from what the doctor prescribes as the medicine, it would be wise for you to change your diet. Meaning, go for foods which are low in purine. Avoid foods that are high in alkaloids and protein. Meats, seafood, alcohol, herring, mussels, scallops, caviar, baked products, sardines, and most shell-type sea foods should be omitted from the meal menu. Vegetables such as dried beans and peas, asparagus, legumes, mushrooms, spinach., kidney beans, lentils, lima beans, rhubarb, cauliflower, etc., must also be avoided, as their consumption is also related to increase the levels of uric acid in the body and so do eating white sugars and all kinds of fried foods.