7 early symptoms of high uric acid your body gives before a blood test confirms it

Having high uric acid— or hyperuricemia— has become a common health issue for many, considering the hectic lifestyles most people lead with no time to focus on their diet or exercise. For the unversed, high uric acid can quietly build up in your body, often without obvious symptoms, until things turn painful. But your body may be giving subtle cues well before lab results confirm what’s happening. Noticing and recognising those subtle signs can help you take action early and improve your health before it gets too late. So, here we list some early symptoms of high uric acid your body gives before a blood test confirms it. Do not ignore them:

If you notice sudden, sharp, and intense pain— often in the big toe— then it may be one of the earliest signs of high uric acid in the body. This is due to gout, which is caused by uric acid crystal building up in the joints. Even without a test, this sudden and shooting pain is often your body's first red flag due to high uric acid levels in the body.

Have you recently noticed your joints becoming puffy, stiff, warm, or red— even before the pain in them becoming unbearable? These are subtle signs that can emerge before a full-blown gout flare, and it signals inflammation and crystal deposits deep within in the joints.

If you're constantly feeling tired even after getting enough sleep, then it may be due to chronic inflammation which is often triggered by high uric acid. This persistent fatigue, which often goes unnoticed, is a warning sign and should not be ignored.

Do you often wake up to urinate at night— or have started noticing dark/cloudy or unusually smelly urine? Then do not ignore these signs as it may suggest that your kidneys are struggling to filter excess uric acid from the body. Do get your blood and urine tests done and consult your doctor.

Do you wake up with stiffness in your legs or arms? This dull ache or muscle stiffness (without any particular reason) may be due to join inflammation because of high uric acid levels.

Have you started noticing that the skin near your joints has changed recently. Is it flaking, peeling, or itchy around painful joints? Then it may be one of the early signs of deposition of uric acid in the joints and shouldn't be ignored. This may slowly irritate nearby skin— even before lumps or tophi appear.

Have you noticed that you're lately getting a low-grade fever, feeling achy, or just not quite yourself? These subtle symptoms can often indicate the body's inflammatory response to increased uric acid levels and so should not be ignored. Get your medical checkup done and consult a doctor soon.

(Image: canva)

If you notice these signs it is important to talk to your doctor.

Take note of these signs