Gout Explained: Symptoms and Causes

You might be familiar with the term arthritis, but have you heard of gout? Gout is a type of arthritis that occurs when there is too much uric acid in your bloodstream. This uric acid can form crystals in your joints, which can cause sudden and severe pain, inflammation, and tenderness. 

Gout is more common in men than in women and often affects the big toe joint. However, it can also occur in other joints such as the ankle, knee, wrist, or fingers. The symptoms of gout often come on suddenly and can be very painful. Some people describe the pain as feeling like their joint is on fire or that they have sharp crystals inside the joint. 

There are many factors that can contribute to gouts such as genetics, obesity, high blood pressure, kidney disease, and alcohol consumption. It’s important to note that not everyone with high levels of uric acid in their blood will develop gout. If you’re experiencing any of these arthritis symptoms or suspect that you may have gout, it’s important to talk to your doctor.

In the next section, we will discuss natural treatments for gout that you might want to consider in addition to conventional arthritis treatment options.