Gout is one of the leading causes of joint inflammation among adults. Small uric acid crystals form in and around the joint, causing redness, pain and swelling. These crystals are made of body’s normal waste products, uric acid. Normally the body removes extra uric acid through the kidneys into the urine. However, this does not happen fast enough in people with gout. This causes uric acid levels to build up and the crystals to form.

Gout is a type of arthritis that occurs when excess uric acid starts depositing in the joints, causing pain, redness, warmth and swelling. Gout can impact a variety of joints, including the ankles, knees, elbows, and wrists, but most commonly the metatarsal-phalangeal joint (MTP), where the big toe connects to the foot Uric acid precipitates into crystals at cooler temperatures. Since the big toe is farthest from the heart, it’s often cooler than the other parts of the body, making gout more likely to occur at this site.

An attack of gout usually comes on very quickly. The joint becomes very red, swollen and extremely painful. Often the joint is very painful to touch. Typically, Gout affects one joint at a time, often the joint of the big toe. Other joints, such as the knees, ankles and elbows, can also be affected by gout. Patients don’t get any symptoms in between the attacks.

Uric acid levels can be measured by blood tests; however, these are not always accurate. Uric acid levels may be normal or even lowered during an attack or gout. High uric acid levels without clinical features of gout does not mean patient has gout. Blood tests can be requested to rule out other types of arthritis or infections. X-rays are often normal in the early stages so are not very useful in diagnosing gout.

Several medications are available for gout treatment, including oral steroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and Colchicine, a medication that decreases the severity of gout flare-ups.