Ralph
Jackie, I have been diagnosed with gout for many years (about 15). There are two causes for gout, which is a form of arthritis. One is that the body is producing too much uric acid. The urine is processing as much as it can but the remainder is returned to the blood stream. The other cause is that the kidneys are not cleansing the blood of the uric acid which is being returned to the blood. When the blood becomes saturated with uric acid, regardless of the reason, it lays down small crystals on the blood vessel walls. This causes the blood flow to be inhibited and the blood seeks other paths to flow through the body (hence the swelling and discoloration). Gout is extremely painful. I can attest from personal experience. Your sister needs to have blood work done to determine which kind of gout she has. Then the appropriate medication can be prescribed. Also, stay away from alcohol, fatty red meats, rich foods with butterfat, shellfish (crab, shrimp, oysters, mussels, lobster). Good luck to you and your sister.