Key points
- Gout is a painful type of arthritis that usually affects one joint at a time, often the big toe.
- It causes periods of severe pain and swelling in the affected joint, called flares.
- There are treatments to reduce gout symptoms during a flare.
- People can also prevent or reduce flares by changing their diet and other lifestyle behaviors or taking medicines.
Overview
Gout basics
- Gout is a painful type of arthritis that usually affects one joint at a time.
- When your body has extra uric acid (a normal body waste product), crystals can form in a joint and cause severe pain and swelling.
- Symptoms of gout may come and go.
Gout flares
- When gout symptoms get bad, this is called a flare.
- A person may experience sudden symptoms that last for days or weeks.
- Then, there may be periods without any symptoms (called remissions), before the next flare.
- Over time, if left untreated:
- Flares may happen more often and last longer.
- Lumps called tophi stones may form. Tophi stones are caused by uncontrolled uric acid levels. They can become painful and damage joints.
- Flares may happen more often and last longer.
Signs and symptoms
People with gout may have symptoms in the affected joint, such as:
- Pain.
- Swelling.
- Redness.
- Heat.
Things that increase risk of gout
Certain things can increase the body's levels of uric acid, which may lead to gout. These include:
- Obesity.
- Certain medicines, such as water pills (or diuretics).
- Foods and drinks that are high in purines (a chemical compound that the body turns into uric acid) such as:
- Alcohol.
- Sugary drinks.
- Sugary foods, like snacks with high fructose corn syrup.
- Red meat and shellfish.
- Alcohol.
Who gets gout
Anyone can get gout. But it is more common in certain groups of people, including:
- Men.
- People with a family history of gout.
- People with health conditions like:
- Heart failure.
- High blood pressure.
- Insulin resistance.
- Diabetes.
- Poor kidney function.
- Heart failure.
Diagnosis
Finding out if you have gout
It is important to be diagnosed with gout early so you can start treating it quickly.
- Since gout symptoms can look like other diseases, a doctor should diagnose it.
- Gout is typically diagnosed during a flare, when it is easiest to spot uric acid crystals in the affected joint.
- Not everyone with high uric acid levels will develop gout.
A doctor will diagnose gout by doing:
- A physical exam.
- X-rays.
- Lab tests.
- A review of your health history.
Find a rheumatologist near you
Rheumatologists are doctors who specialize in gout and other types of arthritis. For a list of rheumatologists in your area, click on the locator below. Then filter by country and state.
Managing gout
Treatment
Talk to your health care provider about:
- Prescription and over-the-counter drugs, like ibuprofen and acetaminophen, to reduce pain and swelling during a flare.
- Prescription drugs to lower uric acid levels and prevent flares and tophi stones.
Self-care for gout
In addition to medications, there are things you can do on your own to help manage gout.
- Be physically active—for at least 150 minutes per week at moderate-intensity.
- Limit foods and drinks that are high in purines. These include:
- Alcohol, especially beer and hard liquor.
- Sugary foods and drinks.
- Red meats and organ meats.
- Certain seafood, like anchovies, sardines, mussels, scallops, trout, and tuna.
- Alcohol, especially beer and hard liquor.
Learn more about self-care strategies and programs for arthritis, which can also help with gout. Local and remote programs are available.
