What are the symptoms of gout
Gout is a common type of arthritis that is usually caused by high levels of uric acid in the body. In recent years, with changes in lifestyle, the incidence of gout has increased year by year and has become one of the hot health topics. This article will detail the symptoms of gout to help you better identify and deal with this disease.
1. The main symptoms of gout

The main symptoms of gout include sudden joint pain, redness, swelling, and fever. The following are typical symptoms of gout:
| Symptoms | Description |
|---|---|
| sudden joint pain | The pain usually occurs at night or early in the morning and is severe, often in the big toe joint. |
| Redness and swelling of joints | The affected joint will appear red and swollen and feel warm to the touch. |
| Restricted activities | Joint movement may be significantly limited due to pain and swelling |
| Fever | Some patients may have low-grade fever or general malaise |
2. The location of gout attack
Although gout can occur in any joint, it is more common in certain areas. The following are common areas where gout occurs:
| Incidence site | incidence |
|---|---|
| big toe joint | About 50% of first attacks occur here |
| Instep | About 30% of patients will experience dorsal pain |
| ankle joint | Approximately 20% of patients are affected |
| knee joint | About 15% of patients will experience knee joint symptoms |
| finger joints | About 10% of patients will experience finger joint pain |
3. Development stages of gout
Gout usually develops into four stages, with symptoms varying at each stage:
| stage | Symptoms | duration |
|---|---|---|
| Asymptomatic hyperuricemia stage | No symptoms, only elevated blood uric acid levels | Lasts for several years |
| acute gouty arthritis stage | Sudden joint pain, redness, swelling, and fever | 3-10 days |
| Intermission | Asymptomatic but possible recurrence | months to years |
| Chronic tophi stage | Joint deformity, tophi formation | long term |
4. Risk factors for gout
Understanding the risk factors for gout can help with prevention and early detection. The following are common gout risk factors:
| risk factors | degree of influence |
|---|---|
| high purine diet | Main causes |
| drinking | especially beer |
| Obesity | Significantly increased risk |
| high blood pressure | medium risk |
| diabetes | medium risk |
| family history | genetic predisposition |
5. Complications of gout
If gout is not treated promptly, it may cause the following complications:
| Complications | Description |
|---|---|
| tophi | Nodules formed by uric acid crystal deposition |
| joint deformity | Structural changes in joints caused by long-term inflammation |
| kidney stones | Uric acid crystals deposit in the kidneys |
| renal impairment | Kidney damage caused by long-term high uric acid |
6. Prevention and treatment of gout
The prevention and treatment of gout requires a multi-faceted approach:
| measures | Specific content |
|---|---|
| Diet control | Reduce the intake of high-purine foods, such as offal, seafood, etc. |
| Limit alcohol consumption | Especially beer and spirits |
| drink more water | Promote uric acid excretion |
| moderate exercise | Control weight and improve metabolism |
| drug treatment | Use uric acid-lowering drugs under the guidance of a doctor |
Gout is a preventable and treatable disease. The key lies in early recognition of symptoms and timely intervention. If you experience the above symptoms, it is recommended to seek medical treatment promptly to avoid delaying treatment. At the same time, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the most effective way to prevent gout.
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