Gout is a form of arthritis and is therefore rated under 38 CFR § 4.71a, diagnostic code 5002. The maximum VA disability rating a Veteran can receive for gout is 100% in the most severe cases.
Can you work if you have gout?
Most people with gout can continue working, but you may need some time off when you have an attack.
How serious is chronic gout?
Untreated gout can lead to permanent joint damage. The buildup of uric acid in your joints and soft tissue is called tophus. Some people with gout can also develop other health problems, including: Severe arthritis and changes to the shape of your joint (joint deformity).
What is considered chronic gout?
Chronic gout is having 2 or more gout attacks per year. Often more than one joint is affected.
How much disability do you get for gout Related Questions
Can I apply for SSI with gout?
If you suffer from chronic gout and it impacts your ability to work, you may be eligible for Social Security Disability benefits if your gout meets the requirements of the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) listing for inflammatory arthritis.
How do you prove you have gout?
Joint fluid test. Your doctor may use a needle to draw fluid from your affected joint. Blood test. Your doctor may recommend a blood test to measure the levels of uric acid in your blood. X-ray imaging. Ultrasound. Dual-energy computerized tomography (DECT).
Can you live a full life with gout?
If diagnosed early, most people with gout can live a normal life. If your disease has advanced, lowering your uric acid level can improve joint function and resolve tophi. Medication and lifestyle or dietary changes can also help ease symptoms and reduce the frequency and severity of gout attacks.
Should you walk a lot with gout?
It is safe for people to walk with gout. In fact, doing joint friendly activities such as walking can help improve gout-related pain. Gout is a form of arthritis that usually affects the big toe joint, but it can also affect the lesser toes, ankles, and knees.
How do you work with gout pain?
Take Medicine You Have on Hand. Ice Down. Call Your Doctor. Drink Lots of Nonalcoholic Fluids. Avoid Alcohol. Get a Cane. Elevate Your Foot. Cut Your Sock.
What is Stage 4 chronic gout?
Stage 4. Chronic gout is characterized by accumulations of urate crystals called tophi that can appear as bumps or nodules under the skin. A tophus can form in a joint, in the bursa that cushions and protects the joint, in the bones or cartilage and under the skin.
What happens if you have gout for too long?
If left untreated, gout can cause erosion and destruction of a joint. Advanced gout. Untreated gout may cause deposits of urate crystals to form under the skin in nodules called tophi (TOE-fie).
How long is too long for gout?
Most gout attacks stop after about a week. But severe attacks may last up to several weeks, with soreness lasting for up to 1 month. Many people have a second attack of gout within 6 months to 2 years after their first attack. But there may be many years between attacks.
Why am I constantly getting gout?
Uric acid is created when the body breaks down purines. Eating foods that contain a high level of purines can increase your risk of gout. Foods naturally high in purines include: red meat – such as beef, lamb and pork.
Does gout mean kidney problems?
Gout can lead to kidney disease When you have gout, you have too much uric acid in your blood. As your blood is filtered through your kidneys, uric acid can build up and form urate crystals. As the urate crystals pass through your kidneys, they can cause damage and scars.
Does gout make you tired?
Gout can easily be identified by redness and inflammation of the big toe and the surrounding areas of the foot. Other symptoms include extreme fatigue, joint pain, and running high fevers.
What foot problems qualify for SSI?
Hip, leg, knee, ankle and foot conditions and injuries such as arthritis, crush injuries, avascular necrosis, heel spurs, plantar fasciitis, and tendon, ligament and cartilage damage.
What can disqualify you from SSI?
You Earn Too Much Income. Your Disability Won’t Last Long Enough or Isn’t Severe Enough. The SSA Cannot Find You. You Refuse to Cooperate. You Fail to Follow Prescribed Therapy. Your Disability Is Based on Drug Addiction or Alcoholism. You Have Been Convicted of a Crime. You Commit Fraud.
What happens if gout pain doesn’t go away?
Repeated bouts of gout can lead to gouty arthritis, a worsening form of arthritis. If symptoms of gout persist, Dr. Diri suggests seeing your primary care provider. There, the provider will rule out other potential causes of joint pain and inflammation, such as infection, injury, or another type of arthritis.
What disease can be mistaken for gout?
Pseudogout is formally known as calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease or CPPD. But the condition is commonly called pseudogout because of its similarity to gout. In both pseudogout and gout, crystal deposits form within a joint, although the type of crystal differs for each condition.
What drink gets rid of gout?
Drink a glass of skimmed milk a day… Studies have shown that vitamin C, cherries, skimmed milk and low-fat yogurt can reduce the amount of urate in the body and therefore lower risks of gout attacks.