Information about Gout symptoms, treatments, and prevention
Find out if you can help treat gout more effectively

Gout is a type of arthritis caused by too much uric acid in the joints and is characterized by pain and swelling in the affected joints. Uric acid, which is a substance that forms when your body breaks down a substance called purines, normally dissolves in your blood and passes through your kidneys into your urine. In people with gout, however, the uric acid creates sharp crystals that cause pain and swelling.
Causes of gout
You may get gout if you eat a lot of foods that are rich in purines. Foods rich in purines include salmon, sardines, liver and herring. You may also get gout if you’re overweight, drink alcohol or have high cholesterol. Men have gout more often than women do, although women are more likely to have gout after menopause.
Medicines that may cause gout include the following: certain diuretics (“water pills”), niacin (a B-complex vitamin), aspirin (taken in low doses), cyclosporine (brand names: Sandimmune, Neoral, SangCya), and some drugs used to treat cancer
Characteristics of a gout attack
The gout attack is usually sudden and starts at night around the big toe joint. The affected joint becomes red, hot, and painful. Other joints may become affected, and the affected joints are often painful to the touch as well.
Steps to take during a gout attack
You can rest in bed during an attack of the gout. You may also ease the pain by putting a hot pad or an ice pack on the joint. Keep all weight of bedding or clothes off the joint to minimize pain. Over the counter medicines can help reduce inflammation. Try aspirin or ibuprofen. Your doctor can also prescribe medicine if the pain does not go away with these methods. The sooner you rest and get treatment, the sooner the pain will go away. Don’t be afraid to try different things if one method doesn’t work.
Treatments are important
An attack of the gout can last for weeks if you don’t get treatment. More joints may become affected the more attacks you experience, and the attacks may last longer.
Severe, persistent gout attacks over many years might result tophi—these are soft tissue swellings caused by uric acid crystals. Tophi usually form on the toes, fingers, hands and elbows. You may also get kidney disease or kidney stones. The bone around a joint may even be destroyed by gout over time.
Avoiding future gout attacks
Doctors can prescribe medicines that prevent future attacks through washing uric acid from your joints.
Losing weight if you are overweight can help as well. Following a low salt and low fat diet is also beneficial for your gout.
Stay away from foods high in purines and drink a lot of water to flush toxins and acids from your body.