Some cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy , can cause cells in the body to die. Uric acid testing may be part of medical care for a person who has cancer.
Kidney disease damages the kidneys and stops them from working normally. When this happens, waste products that include uric acid can build up in the blood. The most prevalent medical condition causing low uric acid levels is Fanconi syndrome , a rare kidney disease.
In people with this condition, the kidneys cannot absorb certain nutrients into the body. Fanconi syndrome can cause a lack of energy, dehydration , and problems with the bones. A person with this condition will have low uric acid levels because too much of this substance is passing out of the body in the urine.
A person with high or low uric acid levels may not always have symptoms. Symptoms may not appear until a person has had levels outside the normal range for a long period, which can cause health problems. Symptoms of a kidney stone , which high uric acid levels can also cause, include:. Low uric acid levels are less common than high ones. A person with low uric acid levels may urinate more than usual, which can cause dehydration if they are not drinking enough water.
A uric acid test measures the amount of uric acid in the blood or urine. A person may need the test if they have gout symptoms or kidney stones or are undergoing cancer treatment. The test does not carry any risks. A healthcare professional may take a small sample of blood with a needle or ask the person to collect their urine over a hour period.
Laboratory technicians will then test the sample for uric acid levels. Doctors may sometimes also perform a joint aspiration , in which they use a needle and syringe to remove a small amount of fluid from the swollen joint. The presence of uric acid crystals in the fluid indicates gout. Sometimes, a person will have high uric acid levels but no symptoms of a medical condition.
They are unlikely to need treatment unless they develop symptoms. Certain foods contain purines, which create uric acid when the body breaks them down. Eating a diet that is too rich in purines can cause uric acid to build up in the blood. It is not possible to avoid purines completely because small amounts are present in many foods.
However, a person can follow a low purine diet and take other steps to help lower purine levels. Foods that include moderate or high levels of purines include:. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids can reduce pain and inflammation, helping treat an acute gout flare.
A person who has gout usually needs a uric acid test every 6 months. Keeping uric acid levels within a certain range can reduce pain, joint damage, and complications from gout. Uric acid is a waste product that can damage joints and tissue if it builds up too much in the body. When a person has high uric acid levels for an extended period, they may develop health problems. If a person has gout, it is important for them to keep uric acid levels within a healthy range.
Doing this can improve the symptoms and reduce the risk of a gout flare. A uric acid buildup can sometimes lead to gout, which causes very painful symptoms.
Learn about eight natural ways to lower uric acid levels in this…. Gout can cause extreme, sudden pain, usually in the big toe. Find out more about gout, its symptoms, causes, treatments, and recovery outlooks here. What is gout and how might diet affect symptoms? Learn about foods to avoid and those that can help manage gout. Also, get some tips on weight…. Gout is a type of arthritis that causes painful symptoms. There is no cure for gout, but people can manage the condition with medication and home….
This article looks at how and why doctors test uric acid levels, who may need a uric acid test, how to prepare for a uric acid test, and what results…. What are the effects of high and low uric acid levels? When kidneys fail to eliminate the waste product uric acid from the body efficiently, it leads to hyperuricemia.
Numerous factors leading to uric acid build up in the body are as follows-. Renal insufficiency which means inefficiently functioning kidneys that do not expel the uric acid generated completely from the body.
An unhealthy diet that includes the consumption of purine containing food like meat, beans, etc. Consumption of alcohol, beer, etc. Health conditions like diabetes, blood pressure, kidney diseases, high cholesterol, obesity, hyperthyroidism, etc. Some genetic disorders also result in high uric acid levels.
Under rare conditions, tumors, use of certain medications, or a few vitamin deficiencies also lead to high uric acid levels. There is no surety test except a blood test to confirm high uric acid levels, but the symptoms listed below indicate high uric acid levels. The symptoms vary from person to person and a person may or may not have a combination of these symptoms. Fatigue, loss of energy. Dry and chapped skin. Swollen and painful joints due to the build-up of uric acid crystals around the joints.
Muscle stiffness. Disorders of the kidney. Weakness, muscle pains, and weakness. Tender and achy muscles. Sudden and extreme pain in joints and on foot. One of the well-known symptoms of high uric acid is a condition called Gout.
It is a type of arthritis that causes inflammation in one of the joints which occur suddenly. The gout pain in the joint occurs because of the presence of uric acid crystals that are sharp like needles around the joints. Uric acid levels can be lowered by natural preventative measures. These measures include-.
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