A second opinion is always a good idea when your life or quality of life is at stake. Medical conditions sometimes occur that your primary care physician can’t treat. You may need a specialist, whom you’ve never met, for a second medical opinion. Putting your life into the hands of a stranger deserves some research.

When should you seek a second opinion?
Because of the increase in medical knowledge and new treatments, it is difficult for any one physician to be aware of all the latest information. One result is patients and their physicians together are seeking second opinions so better and more informed decisions can be made. For minor medical issues-a cold, flu bug, a scratch or scrape, allergies, etc you probably won’t need a second opinion.

However, there are certain times when a second opinion is absolutely essential. So when is the best time to get a second medical opinion?
• Having major surgery
• Questioning whether surgery is the only option
• Unhappy that your regular doctor can’t diagnose your problem
• Having trouble talking with your current doctor(s)
• Not seeing improvement in your medical condition
• Diagnosed with a life-threatening disease such as cancer, heart disease or brain tumor
• Told a second surgery is recommended
• Having multiple medical problems
Getting a good second opinion
some physicians disagree about whether you should get a “blind” second opinion (when medical records, test results and first physician’s opinion are not

made available to the second doctor) or if this information should be shared with the second opinion doctor.
Questions to ask during a second opinion appointment
• Is there any chance the medical problem could have a different diagnosis?
• Are there any alternative forms of treatment available?
• What are the likely results if you wait or don’t have the treatment?
• What are the risks associated with the treatment(s)?
• Are there any side effects or residual effects from each treatment option?
• How is the treatment plan expected to improve your health or quality of life?
• How long is the recovery period?
How can I get another medical opinion?
• Your doctors may refer you to other doctors or specialists.
• Ask friends or relatives who’ve been treated for the same condition.
• Ask for a list of approved doctors from your medical insurance company or your employer’s health plan administrator.
• Call your local medical society.
• Contact a hospital or medical school you’re comfortable with and ask them to refer you to a specialist for a second medical opinion.
• Verify the doctor’s credentials through your state’s medical board once you’ve decided who you’ll see for a second medical opinion.

The hyperuricemia known as Gout develops as a debilitating condition assembling arthritis with accumulation of uric acid crystals in the body’s joints. Gout is an inflammatory disease occurring especially in men over the age of 50 in countries with an unhealthy diet like Western Europe and the USA. A starches based diet seems to prevent the appearance of Gout in many countries.

The accumulation of uric acid crystals occurs because the kidneys cannot eliminate it successfully or because the body produces uric acid in excess. The most common cause is a high intake of the precursors found in food and called purines. Purinic bases are mainly contained in fish, meat, animal muscles, poultry and seafood. Vegetables containing purines do not contribute to the apparition of gout and also moderate consume of the mentioned food cannot trigger hyperuricemia. Alcohol products are also known to stimulate the accumulation of uric acid in the joints.

Gout can be triggered by high amounts of released body fats during diets as the uric acid is stimulated to crystallize and deposit into the joints. Although the risk of developing Gout in these cases is relatively small, physicians recommend the administration of an anti-gout medication with 0.5 mg Colchicines daily for about six months during the weight loss diet.

More cases of hyperuricemia have developed after a low-carbohydrates diet was recommended, that is known to contain high amounts of purines. Like the foods rich in proteins, these kinds of food determine a rapid loss of weight and trigger an increase of the uric acid levels in the blood. The caused stress will raise the seric uric acid as well.

An early treatment of Gout increases the chances of a rapid recovery. The primer Gout medication is based on Colchicines and also the less preferred NSAIDs due to their side-effects. Patients with high levels of uric acid in their blood can be treated with Allopurinol, but persons with normal uric acid can also suffer acute attacks of Gout. High levels of seric uric acid without a chronic arthritis will not require permanent medication but a good food diet would be helpful.

In addition, you and your patients now have a new option. ULORIC is a new treatment for lowering blood uric acid levels in patients with gout. Do not take ULORIC if you are taking Azathioprine (Imuran®, Azasan®), Mercaptopurine (Purinethol®), or Theophylline (Theo-24®, Elixophyllin®, Theochron®, Theolair®, Uniphyl®). For some people, gout may flare up when starting certain gout medicines, including ULORIC. If you have a flare while taking ULORIC, do not stop taking your medicine. Your healthcare provider may give you other medicines to help prevent your gout flares. Sign up for future updates about ULORIC, plus details about patient resources on the new ULORIC.com.

Gout diets recommend avoiding muscle food and high protein vegetables like beans, peas and lentils. Persons with high accumulated amounts of uric acid in their tissues require a longer period of treatment.