Gout and Fever – Being HOT is not a Compliment

Gout causes multitudes of weird things to the body. Ranging from mysterious lumps to tiny yellow chalky nodules, there is no telling what gout will causes next! Sometimes, we even overlook the most common complications. For instance, fever!

This question aims to answer the question “Can gout cause fever?” without further ado, the answer is yes! Gout can cause fever. But how? Is it always gout? Or maybe there is something else?

The Mechanism behind Fever (Abstracted)

Fever may be something uncomfortable, but it is still something you have to be thankful for. Generally speaking, discomfort is a part of your survival instinct. What do you do when you feel uncomfortable? You try to remove discomfort. If you did not take a bath for a couple of days, you may feel uncomfortable. Then, there is this eagerness that drives you to remove discomfort -  you are forced to take a bath and voila! Little did you know that your discomfort lead you to take a bath and remove all the unhealthy bacteria that infested you.

Now, can gout cause fever? Yes! And that fever is another part of your defense mechanisms. It gives you discomfort thus obliging you to remove the cause of discomfort – the gout! Furthermore, the raised temperature can cause invading bodies to die. Sadly, the raised temperature and the discomfort can do nothing against the uric acid crystal.

The Mechanism behind Fever (Detailed)

Gout can cause fever. However, it is possible that there are other factors that cause the fever. It can be caused by the tissues being destroyed, or maybe some other conditions. Hence, you should be sure if it really is gout and gout alone. Sometimes, it can be septic arthritis which is caused by an infection of the joints. Where there is infection, there are foreign bodies. Hence, your body triggers its mechanisms when septic arthritis occurs. There are other conditions that can cause week long fever so you better check with your doctor.

Your body has a complex set of mechanisms that triggers a series of autoimmune responses. Once foreign bodies triggers your biological tripwires, these mechanisms are unleashed. When something undesirable happens in your body, cells die. When cells die, they release a substance called arachidonic acid. Then, arachidonic acid is converted by the enzyme cyclooxygenase which is then converted into a variety of prostaglandins which then does a variety of things such as inducing pain, inflammation, fever and making you more sensitive to pain.

In the case of gout, the uric acid crystal is treated as an invading body and is then attacked by your neutrophils (a type of white blood cell). Sadly, the neutrophils cannot do anything about it and will end up dying. Hence, arachidonic acid is released calling in more neutrophils to die.

The fever associated with gout means that cells are dying! But, there may be something else because gout rarely results to holistic fever but only raised temperature in the inflamed joint. For instance, it can mean that the tissues are being damaged by the uric acid crystal. This is more likely if the crystal in your joint is already protruding. It is also possible that the fever is due to a Urinary tract infection. If you are a gout sufferer, the formation of uric acid kidney stone is more likely. This stone can wound the urinary tract thus improving the chances of infection. Where there is infection, there are invading bodies. Thus, fever!

Q: Can gout cause fever?
A: Yes! But not always and there may be other reasons such as septic arthritis or tissue destruction. Hence, I recommend that you go consult your doctor especially if your former gout attacks are not accompanied by fever.

What to do if my gout has fever?

Taking antipyretic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory medications will help ease your gout. A good example will be an over the counter NSAID such as aspirin. This way, it is not only gout that is relieved but also the fever.

Take note however that NSAIDs can be bad for gout in the long run because they inhibit cyclooxygenase, which is not only responsible for the pain, fever and inflammation but also the maintenance of the kidney hemodynamics. Less blood will flow through and from the kidneys. Hence, less uric acid will be excreted.