Gout Symptoms: Managing, Risk Factors, and Complications

Along with joint pain, inflammation, redness, and swelling, gout can reduce joint mobility. As gout improves, the skin around your affected joint may itch and ... HealthlineHealthConditionsDiscoverPlanConnectSubscribeType2DiabetesT2DBasicsPerspectivesFood&FitnessMentalHealthLifewithT2DNewsletterCommunityLessonsSymptomsofGoutMedicallyreviewedbyGrahamRogers,M.D.—WrittenbyValenciaHiguera—UpdatedonAugust29,2018SymptomsRiskfactorsComplicationsManagingsymptomsTakeawayOverviewGoutisatypeofarthritisthatdevelopsfromhighlevelsofuricacidinyourblood.Goutattackscanbesuddenandpainful.Youmayexperienceburning,andtheaffectedjointcanbecomestiffandswollen.Keepreadingtolearnmoreaboutthesymptomsofgout,riskfactorsandcomplicationsforthecondition,andhowtomanagesymptomsifyouexperienceagoutattack.SymptomsofgoutTherearedifferenttypesofgoutsymptoms.Somepeopleareasymptomatic.Thismeanstheyhavenosymptoms,althoughtheyhaveelevatedlevelsofuricacidintheirblood.Thesepeopledon’trequiretreatment.Others,however,haveacuteorchronicsymptomsrequiringtreatment.Acutesymptomscomeonsuddenlyandoccurforarelativelyshortperiodoftime.Chronicsymptomsaretheresultofrepeatedgoutattacksoveralongperiod.AcutegoutsymptomsPain,redness,andswellingarethechiefsymptomsofagoutattack.Thesecanhappenatnightandwakeyoufromsleep.Evenalighttouchtoyourjointcanbeexcruciating.Itcanbedifficulttomoveorbend.Thesesymptomstypicallyoccurinonlyonejointatatime,mostcommonlyinyourbigtoe.Butotherjointsarefrequentlyaffectedaswell.Symptomscomeonsuddenlyandaremostseverefor12to24hours,buttheymaylastaslongas10days.ChronicgoutsymptomsThepainandinflammationassociatedwithgoutattackstypicallydisappearcompletelybetweenattacks.Butrepeatedattacksofacutegoutcancausemorepermanentdamage.Alongwithjointpain,inflammation,redness,andswelling,goutcanreducejointmobility.Asgoutimproves,theskinaroundyouraffectedjointmayitchandpeel.Goutcanaffectmanyjointsthroughoutyourbody.Typically,thefirstgoutattackoccursinthejointsofyourbigtoe.Theattackcanhappensuddenly,withyourtoeappearingswollenandwarmtothetouch.Inadditiontoyourbigtoe,otherjointsaffectedbygoutinclude:ankleskneesfingerselbowwristheelsinstepsRiskfactorsforgoutConsumingfoodsanddrinksthatcontainahighamountofpurinescontributestogout.Theseinclude:alcoholicbeveragesbaconturkeyliverfishdriedbeanspeasPurinesarechemicalcompoundsinfoodandnaturallyoccurinyourbody,whichproducesuricacidasitbreaksdownpurines.Typically,uricaciddissolvesinyourbloodstreamandexitsyourbodythroughurine.Butsometimesuricacidaccumulatesintheblood,causingagoutattack.Goutcanhappentoanyone,butcertainfactorsincreaseyourrisk.Riskfactorsinclude:afamilyhistoryofgoutobesityuntreatedhypertensiondiabetesmellitusmetabolicsyndromecoronaryarterydiseaseschronicrenaldiseasehighalcoholconsumptionahigh-purinedietcertainantirejectionmedicationsifyouhavehadanorgantransplantuseofcertainmedications,suchasdiureticsandaspirinrecenttraumaorsurgeryTheriskofdevelopinggoutisalsohigherifyou’reamale.Leadexposuremayalsoincreaseyourriskforgout.Takinghighdosesofniacinmaymakecauseyourgouttoflareup.Yourdoctorcandiagnosegoutwithabloodtestandbytakingfluidfromanaffectedjoint.ComplicationsofgoutAcuteandchronicsymptomsofgoutaretreatable.Goutpaincanbemoreseverethanothertypesofarthriticpain,soseeadoctorifyouhavesudden,sharppaininajointthatdoesn’timproveorworsens.Ifleftuntreated,goutcancausejointerosion.Otherseriouscomplicationsinclude:NodulesunderyourskinUntreatedgoutcancausedepositsofuratecrystalsunderyourskin(tophi).Thesefeellikehardnodulesandcanbecomepainfulandinflamedduringgoutattacks.Astophibuildupinjoints,theycancausedeformitiesandchronicpain,limitmobility,andcaneventuallydestroyyourjointsentirely.Thetophimayalsopartiallyerodethroughyourskinandoozeawhitechalkysubstance.KidneydamageUratecrystalscanalsobuildupinyourkidneys.Thiscancausekidneystonesandeventuallyaffectyourkidney’sabilitytofilterwasteproductsoutofyourbody.BursitisGoutcancauseinflammationofthefluidsac(bursa)thatcushionstissues,particularlyinyourelbowandknee.Symptomsofbursitisalsoincludepain,stiffness,andswelling.Inflammationinthebursaincreasestheriskofinfection,whichcanleadtopermanentjointdamage.Signsofinfectionincludeworseningrednessorwarmnessaroundjointsandafever.ManagingsymptomsofgoutMedicationsareavailabletohelpyoumanagesymptomsofgout.Theseincludenonsteroidalanti-inflammatorydrugs,suchasindomethacin(Tivorbex),ibuprofen(Advil,MotrinIB),andnaproxen(Aleve,Naprosyn).Sideeffectsofthesemedicationscanincludebleeding,stomachulcers,andstomachpain.Ifyoursymptomsdon’trespondtothesemedications,yourdoctorsmayrecommendotherdrugstostopanattackandpreventfutureattacks.Colchicine(Colcrys)canreducegoutpain,butsideeffectsmayincludenausea,diarrhea,andvomiting.Corticosteroidssuchasprednisonealsoreduceinflammationandpain.Theseprescriptionmedicationscanbetakenorallyorinjectedintoyourjoint.Sideeffectsincludemoodchanges,elevatedbloodpressure,andwaterretention.Therearemedicationsthatblocktheproductionofuricacidandothersthathelpyourbodyremoveuricacid,suchasallopurinol(Zyloprim)andprobenecid,respectively.ThetakeawayWithlifestylechanges,it’spossibletopreventfuturegoutattacksandremainsymptom-free.Takemedicationasdirected.Limitingyourintakeofalcoholandbeverageswithhigh-fructosecornsyrupcanreducethelikelihoodofanattack.Youcanalsopreventagoutattackbyincreasingyourintakeofwateranddecreasingyourintakeofmeat,poultry,andotherhigh-purinefoods.Losingexcesspoundsalsohelpsmaintainahealthyuricacidlevel.LastmedicallyreviewedonFebruary16,2017MedicallyreviewedbyGrahamRogers,M.D.—WrittenbyValenciaHiguera—UpdatedonAugust29,2018ReadthisnextGout:Symptoms,Causes,andTreatmentsMedicallyreviewedbyAlanaBiggers,M.D.,MPHMorethan8millionAmericanshavegout,aconditionthatcausespainfulinflammationinthejoints.Learnthesymptoms,whatcausesit,andhowit's…READMOREGoutDiagnosisMedicallyreviewedbyGrahamRogers,M.D.READMOREAvoidYourGoutTriggerstoAvoidSuddenFlare-UpsMedicallyreviewedbyDeborahWeatherspoon,Ph.D.,R.N.,CRNAIfyou’vebeendiagnosedwithgout,youknowitcanbeapainfulcondition.Whenyouknowwhatcausesgouttoflareup,youcanbetteravoidsymptoms…READMOREHowtoKnowIfYouHaveGoutinYourShoulder—andWhattoDoNextMedicallyreviewedbyNancyCarteron,M.D.,FACRGoutintheshoulderisaveryrarecondition,butitcanhappen.We'lltellyouwhatthesymptomsareandhowyoucanfindrelief—andprevent…READMOREGoutSymptomsandTriggersMedicallyreviewedbyNancyCarteron,M.D.,FACRHerearecommonsymptomsofgoutalongwithwhereandwhentheytypicallyappear,andwhatyoucandotopreventthemfromoccurring.READMOREDoesEatingTomatoesAffectGout?MedicallyreviewedbyAmyRichter,RDTomatoesmaytriggergout.Theyincreaselevelsofuricacid.Weexploretheeffectsoftomatoesifyouhavegout,alternativestotry,andother…READMOREUnderstandingGoutCrystalsMedicallyreviewedbyStellaBard,MDGoutcrystalsmayformwhenthereistoomuchuricacidinyourbloodstream.Here’sinformationaboutgoutcrystalsandhowtostopthem.READMOREGoutvs.TurfToe:HowtoTelltheDifferenceMedicallyreviewedbyStellaBard,MDGoutandturftoecanbothcausesimilarsymptoms,buthaveverydifferentcausesandtreatments.Readontolearnmoreaboutthesesimilaritiesand…READMOREIsItSafetoEatHummusorChickpeasIfYouHaveGout?MedicallyreviewedbyKatherineMarengoLDN,R.D.Avoidingfoodshighinpurinesmayhelpyoureduceuricacidlevelsandminimizeyourchancesofdevelopinggout.Whatdoesthatmeanforhummus?READMORE