Gout - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic

An attack of gout can occur suddenly, often waking you up in the middle of the night with the sensation that your big toe is on fire. COVID-19:Advice,updatesandvaccineoptions Weareopenforsafein-personcare. Learnmore: MayoClinicfactsaboutcoronavirusdisease2019(COVID-19) OurCOVID-19patientandvisitorguidelines,plustrustedhealthinformation Lateston COVID-19vaccination bysite: Arizonapatientvaccinationupdates Arizona, Floridapatientvaccinationupdates Florida, Rochesterpatientvaccinationupdates Rochesterand MayoClinicHealthSystempatientvaccinationupdates MCHS Skiptositenavigation SkiptoContent ThiscontentdoesnothaveanEnglishversion.ThiscontentdoesnothaveanArabicversion. SectionsforGoutSymptoms&causesDiagnosis&treatmentDoctors&departments Print OverviewGoutisacommonandcomplexformofarthritisthatcanaffectanyone.It'scharacterizedbysudden,severeattacksofpain,swelling,rednessandtendernessinoneormorejoints,mostofteninthebigtoe. Anattackofgoutcanoccursuddenly,oftenwakingyouupinthemiddleofthenightwiththesensationthatyourbigtoeisonfire.Theaffectedjointishot,swollenandsotenderthateventheweightofthebedsheetonitmayseemintolerable. Goutsymptomsmaycomeandgo,buttherearewaystomanagesymptomsandpreventflares.Products&ServicesBook:MayoClinicGuidetoPainReliefBook:MayoCliniconArthritisShowmoreproductsfromMayoClinic Symptoms Gout Openpop-updialogbox Close Gout Gout Goutcausesintensepainandswellingaroundoneormorejoints.Goutmostcommonlyaffectsthejointatthebaseofthebigtoe. Thesignsandsymptomsofgoutalmostalwaysoccursuddenly,andoftenatnight.Theyinclude: Intensejointpain.Goutusuallyaffectsthebigtoe,butitcanoccurinanyjoint.Othercommonlyaffectedjointsincludetheankles,knees,elbows,wristsandfingers.Thepainislikelytobemostseverewithinthefirstfourto12hoursafteritbegins. Lingeringdiscomfort.Afterthemostseverepainsubsides,somejointdiscomfortmaylastfromafewdaystoafewweeks.Laterattacksarelikelytolastlongerandaffectmorejoints. Inflammationandredness.Theaffectedjointorjointsbecomeswollen,tender,warmandred. Limitedrangeofmotion.Asgoutprogresses,youmaynotbeabletomoveyourjointsnormally. WhentoseeadoctorIfyouexperiencesudden,intensepaininajoint,callyourdoctor.Goutthatgoesuntreatedcanleadtoworseningpainandjointdamage.Seekmedicalcareimmediatelyifyouhaveafeverandajointishotandinflamed,whichcanbeasignofinfection. RequestanAppointmentatMayoClinic CausesGoutoccurswhenuratecrystalsaccumulateinyourjoint,causingtheinflammationandintensepainofagoutattack.Uratecrystalscanformwhenyouhavehighlevelsofuricacidinyourblood.Yourbodyproducesuricacidwhenitbreaksdownpurines—substancesthatarefoundnaturallyinyourbody. Purinesarealsofoundincertainfoods,includingredmeatandorganmeats,suchasliver.Purine-richseafoodincludesanchovies,sardines,mussels,scallops,troutandtuna.Alcoholicbeverages,especiallybeer,anddrinkssweetenedwithfruitsugar(fructose)promotehigherlevelsofuricacid. Normally,uricaciddissolvesinyourbloodandpassesthroughyourkidneysintoyoururine.Butsometimeseitheryourbodyproducestoomuchuricacidoryourkidneysexcretetoolittleuricacid.Whenthishappens,uricacidcanbuildup,formingsharp,needlelikeuratecrystalsinajointorsurroundingtissuethatcausepain,inflammationandswelling. RiskfactorsYou'remorelikelytodevelopgoutifyouhavehighlevelsofuricacidinyourbody.Factorsthatincreasetheuricacidlevelinyourbodyinclude: Diet.Eatingadietrichinredmeatandshellfishanddrinkingbeveragessweetenedwithfruitsugar(fructose)increaselevelsofuricacid,whichincreaseyourriskofgout.Alcoholconsumption,especiallyofbeer,alsoincreasestheriskofgout. Weight.Ifyou'reoverweight,yourbodyproducesmoreuricacidandyourkidneyshaveamoredifficulttimeeliminatinguricacid. Medicalconditions.Certaindiseasesandconditionsincreaseyourriskofgout.Theseincludeuntreatedhighbloodpressureandchronicconditionssuchasdiabetes,obesity,metabolicsyndrome,andheartandkidneydiseases. Certainmedications.Low-doseaspirinandsomemedicationsusedtocontrolhypertension—includingthiazidediuretics,angiotensin-convertingenzyme(ACE)inhibitorsandbetablockers—alsocanincreaseuricacidlevels.Socantheuseofanti-rejectiondrugsprescribedforpeoplewhohaveundergoneanorgantransplant. Familyhistoryofgout.Ifothermembersofyourfamilyhavehadgout,you'remorelikelytodevelopthedisease. Ageandsex.Goutoccursmoreofteninmen,primarilybecausewomentendtohaveloweruricacidlevels.Aftermenopause,however,women'suricacidlevelsapproachthoseofmen.Menarealsomorelikelytodevelopgoutearlier—usuallybetweentheagesof30and50—whereaswomengenerallydevelopsignsandsymptomsaftermenopause. Recentsurgeryortrauma.Experiencingrecentsurgeryortraumacansometimestriggeragoutattack.Insomepeople,receivingavaccinationcantriggeragoutflare. ComplicationsPeoplewithgoutcandevelopmore-severeconditions,suchas: Recurrentgout.Somepeoplemayneverexperiencegoutsignsandsymptomsagain.Othersmayexperiencegoutseveraltimeseachyear.Medicationsmayhelppreventgoutattacksinpeoplewithrecurrentgout.Ifleftuntreated,goutcancauseerosionanddestructionofajoint. Advancedgout.Untreatedgoutmaycausedepositsofuratecrystalstoformundertheskininnodulescalledtophi(TOE-fie).Tophicandevelopinseveralareas,suchasyourfingers,hands,feet,elbowsorAchillestendonsalongthebacksofyourankles.Tophiusuallyaren'tpainful,buttheycanbecomeswollenandtenderduringgoutattacks. Kidneystones.Uratecrystalsmaycollectintheurinarytractsofpeoplewithgout,causingkidneystones.Medicationscanhelpreducetheriskofkidneystones. ByMayoClinicStaff RequestanAppointmentatMayoClinic Diagnosis&treatment March06,2021 Print Shareon:FacebookTwitter Showreferences Gout.CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention.https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/gout.html.AccessedDec.23,2020. GoldmanL,etal.,eds.Crystaldepositiondiseases.In:Goldman-CecilMedicine.26thed.Elsevier;2020.https://www.clinicalkey.com.AccessedDec.23,2020. FerriFF.Gout.In:Ferri'sClinicalAdvisor2021.Elsevier;2021.https://www.clinicalkey.com.AccessedDec.23,2020. Gout.AmericanCollegeofRheumatology.https://www.rheumatology.org/I-Am-A/Patient-Caregiver/Diseases-Conditions/Gout.AccessedDec.23,2020. CaffoAL.Clinicalmanifestationsanddiagnosisofgout.https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search.AccessedDec.23,2021. AskMayoExpert.Goutorpseudogout(adult).MayoClinic.2020. Gloperbaprescribinginformation.U.S.FoodandDrugAdministration.https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/daf/index.cfm?event=overview.process&ApplNo=210942.AccessedJan.21,2021. Perez-RuizF.Pharmacologicurate-loweringtherapyandtreatmentoftopicinpatientswithgout.https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search.AccessedDec.23,2021. FitzGeraldJD,etal.2020AmericanCollegeofRheumatologyguidelineforthemanagementofgout.ArthritisCare&Research.2020;doi:10.1002/acr.24180. Chang-MillerA(expertopinion).MayoClinic.Jan.22,2021. Related Diuretics:Causeofgout? Glucosamine:Canitworsengoutsymptoms? Gout Products&Services Book:MayoClinicGuidetoPainRelief Book:MayoCliniconArthritis ShowmoreproductsandservicesfromMayoClinic GoutSymptoms&causesDiagnosis&treatmentDoctors&departments Advertisement MayoClinicdoesnotendorsecompaniesorproducts.Advertisingrevenuesupportsournot-for-profitmission. Advertising&Sponsorship Policy Opportunities AdChoices MayoClinicPress Checkoutthesebest-sellersandspecialoffersonbooksandnewslettersfromMayoClinic. TryMayoClinicHealthLetter-getFREEbookNEW-BackandNeckHealthMayoCliniconDigestiveHealthNEW-LiveYoungerLongerSimple,effectiveHomeRemedies CON-20372877 PatientCare&HealthInformation Diseases&Conditions Gout