Gout foot pain is characterized by a sudden and severe attack of excruciating pain along with swelling, redness and tenderness of the joint. It mostly takes place at the side or base of the large toe. It can be defined as a complex form of arthritis which affects more men than women. However, women become increasingly vulnerable to gout foot pain after menopause.The gout foot pain can occur without any aggravation or prior warning. People suffering from gout report that they find themselves wake up in the middle of the night with a burning sensation on their foot. The joint that has been affected by gout feels hot and is much swollen and sensitive. Check out some of the common symptoms of gout pain.

Intense pain in the joints
Gout normally affects the joint in the big toe. But this doesn’t indicate that gout pain cannot occur in hand, wrists, ankles, feet and knees. The pain is likely to be unbearable for in the initial 4 to 12 hours.

Constant discomfort
After the most severe gout foot pain subsides, there can be a continuous discomfort in the joints for a few days. Without the proper gout foot pain treatment, the discomfort would last longer and start spreading to other joints as well.

Redness accompanied by inflammation
The affected areas would become swollen, reddish, tender and warm.

Decrease in the range of motion
With the progress of the gout foot pain, you will experience a decreased range of motion.

Several reasons cause gout foot pain. Listed below are some of the common risk factors that can lead to gout.

Dieting irregularities
If you have a habit of consuming a diet which is rich in meat content along with sweetened beverages, you are more likely to have excess amounts of uric acid. This, in turn, increases your chances of having gout. Those who consume alcohol, particularly beer are more likely to have gout foot pain compared to others.

Obesity
When you are overweight, you are more likely to have high levels of uric acid. It pressurizes your kidneys to flush out the uric acid and the whole condition increases your risk of gout.

Medicines and clinical conditions
If you have high blood pressure and sugar, it also increases your chance of having gout. You should try to reduce the metabolic syndrome, heart and kidney conditions for reducing the chances of suffering from gout foot pain.

Itchy skin causes immense irritation, and is accompanied by rashes and redness. This irritation forces you to scratch your skin that worsens the situation. Irritated skin accompanied by an uncontrollable itch is known as Pruritus. There are a number of causes of itchy skin. These can range from something ordinary, like a rash, to something serious, like kidney failure. It is advisable to consult a doctor if you don’t know the cause of your itching condition. Itching may seem like a very harmless condition but if it persists, it is recommended that you visit a doctor. Some of the causes are severe and need immediate medical help.Let’s look at some of the common causes of itchy skin.

Skin conditions
Dermatitis: It is a skin condition that causes the skin to become red, swollen, hot, and is often accompanied by pain.
Eczema: It is a long lasting and persistent skin disorder. It causes itching and rashes.
Dermatographism: It is a type of itchy rash on the skin.

Infections causing itching
Many times various types infections give rise to itching. These infections include chicken pox, lice, fungal, rashes, mites, scabies, pinworms, irritants,etc. Irritants are substances which come in contact with the skin and cause irritation, inflammation, and itching.

Internal disorders
Itchy skin is also a symptom of some internal disorders including liver disease, anemia, diabetes, iron deficiency, HIV, leukemia, thyroid disease, lymphoma, failure of kidney, pregnancy, etc. Itching issues are very common during pregnancy. In fact, 10% of pregnant women suffer from itching during pregnancy.

Psychological conditions
There are certain psychological conditions like depression, anxiety, psychosis, and trichotillomania which gives an urge to itch the body.

Diagnosis of itchy skin
Ideally, a doctor should be able to tell the reason behind your itch by knowing the symptoms. He’ll ask you a few questions to know the cause. In severe cases, a doctor will have to conduct tests to know the cause. Check out the common tests that are conducted to diagnose the cause of the itch.

• Blood test: Blood tests help in diagnosing internal disorders and infections.
• Thyroid test: Itching can be a result of thyroid disorder. A thyroid test is suggested to know if the cause is due to the rise/fall of the thyroid hormone.
• Skin test: Often, the cause of the itching are skin infections and allergies. A skin test can figure out whether or not the itch is a result of some skin allergy.

As you know, Black Friday is one of the most important events on the calendar for businesses. After all, it is the biggest shopping day of the year in the country. At every retail store, many people are enthusiastic about buying all they need at massive slashed prices, although keeping a few factors in mind is necessary. Listed below are some common mistakes customers make on Black Fridays that you must avoid:

Spending more than you can afford

Some customers spend more than their financial prudence on a Black Friday sale. The main reason behind such spending is that customers fear missing out on the discounts later, eventually leading to the misuse of credit cards. So, it will be unwise to keep making purchases and reach the maximum limit on your credit cards. Although days such as Black Friday are worth the wait, they come again the following year before the holiday starts.

Shopping without a plan

If you plan to shop on Black Friday, you should have a shopping strategy. If you are attracted to one store and shop for everything there, you may miss out on better options from other stores. That is why you must plan what you need and, using the internet, browse what the various stores have to offer this holiday season. It is also wise to sign up for mail alerts that provide information on discounts and deals to learn about the early Black Friday discounts.

Paying full price for add-ons

It is often observed that when shoppers buy electronics, they pay full price for the add-ons. Customers often get the device or gadget at a discounted price by spending the entire amount on batteries, cables, and even chargers. Therefore, a smart move would be to look for bundle deals or discounts on everything you purchase. If you plan on buying electronics, you do not necessarily have to buy the add-ons from the same store or on the same day. You can strategize by purchasing the electronic item from one store and buying the add-ons from another. With this plan, you could end by saving quite a bit on one of the biggest shopping days in the country.

Choosing the wrong time to shop

It is often seen that on the day of Black Friday, there is a massive crowd at the stores. Several retailers give discounts on previous and following days of Black Friday to beat the crowd. Thus, choose the right time, strategize and get your discount. According to a national survey, 54% of shoppers have preferred staying home on the sale’s prime day, knowing that it will extend to the following days of Black Friday. Thus, you should go with the flow and shop for all your wish list items at the right time.

Wearing uncomfortable clothes

If you plan to shop on Black Friday, you should know that the stores will be crowded. Thus, it might be a good idea to wear comfortable clothes. You can avoid high heels or those tight-fitting jeans to avoid discomfort while in the queue. You should be able to move quickly and scramble through the crowds to reach for the products you want. Also, don’t forget to wear comfortable, well-fitted shoes as well.

It is easy to lose track of your financial ability while shopping for huge discounts since Black Friday is one of the best days to splurge. You can easily get swayed by the attractive deals and discounts on your favorite brands. However, if you are an ardent shopaholic, avoid the mistakes made by others in the past, and you will gain from all the deals and offers.

Refurbished laptops can be a great deal especially if you’re planning on buying your very first laptop. Refurbished laptops are put through stringent quality checks and function just like brand new laptops, but at a fraction of the price.

A refurbished laptop is restored to factory settings. Any faulty parts are replaced with new ones, and the unit undergoes thorough cleaning and testing processes by the seller. Although they don’t come with manufacturer warranty, you can buy refurbished laptops for discounts up to 70%!

Imagine getting an Alienware or an Asus laptop at those rock bottom rates. You get the same laptop, just without the warranty and fancy packaging in some cases. Here are four benefits of buying refurbished laptops.

Eco-friendly parts: Instead of the laptop being sent to landfill, the addition of a few parts and it’s saved from rubbish. This means you can save your environment as a consumer. A great way of ensuring less goes into the landfill.

Just as new: You won’t find a lot of difference between refurbished and new laptops. They look very new, are inspected and cleaned thoroughly, and they function just as great as new laptops. The only downside could that there may be a little wear and tear, but that won’t bother you since you get the whole unit at a fraction of the price of new!

More affordable: They are much more affordable than brand new laptops. Refurbished laptops are sold at rock bottom prices and frankly, you won’t any better deals than this when you consider refurbished laptops. You can get killer discounts ranging from 70% to 80% if you’re super lucky. Imagine getting an HP Pavillion or an Alienware 13 for those prices. That’s what buying a refurbished laptop can do for you.

Safer than second hand or used laptops: This point tops the charts. Second hand laptops come with defects or malfunctioning parts. Plus you don’t get enough time to run tests to see if it’s working well. On top of this the seller may be an individual and may not be reliable. On the other hand, refurbished laptops are run through thorough a battery of tests. They are factory reset and the operating system is reinstalled if there are any issues. The best part is you can return it to the refurbisher for servicing in case you feel it needs to be repaired or some checks need to be run. The refurbisher is also available for contact so it makes the process a lot easier. When buying second hand laptops, you don’t get to stay in touch with the seller so if you get duped, that’s it. With a refurbisher retailer, that’s not the case.

The world’s best gaming consoles have evolved at an alarming rate, and gamers are spoilt for choices. However, what makes the best gaming console are their features which include their processor, the storage, accessible RAM, etc. Apart from these, customers look for other features that include the size of the gaming devices, and it’s compatibility across various games and platforms. Interactive gaming systems are most preferred by gamers.

There are many exceptions to this rule, and they reign on the following list. As you will see, some of the coolest consoles belong in the yesteryears, making their debut in the 20th century and they are one of the best selling gaming consoles of all times. Keeping this in mind, let’s have a look at the top ten gaming consoles; some to reminisce and others to invest.

Nintendo GameBoy

This console was launched in 1989 and shook the entire world of gaming. It was bulky and slow, yet it’s sweet price point, and battery operated system gave it an edge over its competitors. Some of its most memorable games include Tetris and Pokemon. It has become more of a collector’s item today.

Sony PlayStation

Coming into existence in 1995, this was a simple CD operated console. It continues to be hailed as the console that made gaming more mature and living room worthy. The games too came with a maturity and some darker themes which were never before seen.

Microsoft XBox 360

This was the console that brought XBox live to the world. It helped to keep alive a gaming community solely through a console. Also, it offered an added feature where one could purchase both old and new games.

Nintendo Wii

This best selling game console had some of the most memorable and enjoyable games at the time and gained wide popularity due to its revolutionary feature, i.e., the motion control. It also had a wide range of Super Mario games, which were at the peak of the decade.

Sega Dreamcast

Out of all the gaming devices so far, this is definitely the one with a niche following. The Dreamcast console was far ahead of its time, being the first console that offered online access. A distinct feature of this console was memory stick that came along with the gaming device.

Nintendo Entertainment System

The Nintendo ES or simply NES was released in 1985 and made a gamer out of every kid at the time because this is the gaming system that debuted Super Mario Bros. It also had other memorable games like The Legend of Zelda and Mega Man.

Sony PlayStation 2

This console is one of the best video game consoles of all time, which isn’t a small feat. It was received well and it also paved the way for the revolutionary DVD format of gaming. There are games specifically for the PS2 even today, and you can still buy this game console in the market.

PlayStation Portable

By 2004, the seventh generation of video games had taken over. The PSP was Sony’s first competitor than the other handheld gaming devices. It had impressive high-end graphics for a handheld gaming device. Coupled with additional features like TV Tuner and Video Player, this game controller became an all-round entertainment device. This was one of the top gaming devices.

Nintendo 3DS

With the wildly successful Pokemon X and Y as its flagship game, this was the handheld to give all others a run for their money. The 3DS came with online gaming options and a range of streaming services. It is still available today even after its prior release.

XBox One S

As far as all rounding consoles go, the XBox One S is a cherry on the cake. It is also the most powerful gaming consoles of all times. From pricing to processor speed, and storage, this is a wholesome gaming console. It also plays multimedia files from a range of streaming services like Netflix, all in 4K. It’s slimmer and smaller than all previous versions and boasts Microsoft’s impressive gaming library.

Negotiating the price for anything you buy can be a tedious and challenging task, especially when you have met your match who is just as good as you are at bargaining. But when it comes to substantial investment, a little bargaining will go a long way if you play your cards right.

Here are a few tips which will just help you gain the upper hand.

Finance, it is the first thing that you should take care of before you even look for a house. Consider key factors like pre approval of mortgage before you even make an offer on the said property. Your offer will be more convincing when you have already have the finances ready to back it up.

Take into account the interest rate which you will be incurring on your loan. Consider the principal amount and calculate how much interest you will be incurring on multiple mortgage options. If the difference between the two is not so substantial, a little extra funds can help you buy the right house for the best price. Don’t lose out on a better property deal just because the interest rate was a couple of dollars higher on the second mortgage option.

Having an agent or property expert who can ascertain the appropriate market value of the house is advisable. You won’t be able to make a low offer on any property which is currently under priced or selling at below the market rate. This is where the expert will come in handy and can suggest you the best course of action, financial and otherwise.

Property will be in demand. Especially properties which are located in prime areas of the city or close to famous landmarks like the Central Park in New York City. Property surrounding this area for example will sell like hot cakes and for a good price. If you have the budget and are sure that you can afford interest rates, taxes and additional expenses, do not hesitate to go for such properties since they will be in demand. Make your first offer the best you can, keeping in mind of course the other factors discussed.

Be prepared and willing to compromise on certain factors. Your first offer will ensure your interest in the property. However, there might be something that you don’t like, for example the decor or layout. These are things that can be easily changed and modified, so it is best advisable to let the little things go and look at the bigger picture.