Gout is one of the most common types of inflammatory arthritis. It's caused by a buildup of uric acid, a waste product, in the blood. This buildup causes uric acid crystals to form inside the joints and sudden flare-ups of severe pain, swelling, warmth, and redness in the affected joints.
Experts at UPMC provide comprehensive care for people with gout, including expert diagnosis and treatment designed to manage symptoms when they occur and reduce the risk of future flare-ups.
Related services include:
Gout is one of the most common types of inflammatory arthritis. It's caused by a buildup of uric acid, a waste product, in the blood. This buildup causes uric acid crystals to form inside your joints — most commonly your big toe, knee, or ankle. These crystals can cause sudden flare-ups of severe pain, swelling, warmth, and redness in the affected joints.
Gout symptoms typically flare up for a week or two before getting better. Although it affects 4% to 5% of adults in the United States, gout often goes undiagnosed or undertreated.
There are two main types of gout, including:
Your doctor may use other terms to describe different stages of gout, including:
Gout occurs when uric acid builds up in your blood and the fluid around your joints. This buildup can happen when your body makes too much uric acid, or when your kidneys don’t remove enough uric acid from your body.
When uric acid levels are too high, needle-like uric acid crystals can form in your joints. These crystals cause gout symptoms, including pain, swelling, redness, and warmth, which usually flare up for a few weeks before getting better.
Gout usually develops in middle age. It's more common in men.
Other risk factors for gout include:
If left undiagnosed or untreated, gout can cause painful flare-ups that affect your quality of life. Over time, gout can become chronic tophaceous gout, a more severe form of the disease that causes hard uric acid deposits called tophi to develop under your skin. If left untreated, it can lead to permanent joint and bone damage and loss of motion.
Chronic gout can also cause kidney stones.
Although you can’t control all your risk factors for gout, you may be able to reduce your risk by eating a healthy diet, managing your weight, and limiting alcohol consumption.
If you have already been diagnosed with high uric acid levels or gout, you can follow your doctor’s recommendations to reduce your risk of future flare-ups and prevent your condition from getting worse.
Gout can affect one or more joints, often impacting the big toe, knee, or ankle.
Symptoms of gout may include:
If you have gout symptoms, you should see your doctor, who can offer treatment to ease symptoms during an attack, reduce your risk of future flare-ups, and prevent permanent joint damage.
Our experts will perform a complete physical exam, order tests, and review your symptoms and medical history before diagnosing gout. Sometimes special imaging studies are used to help diagnose gout.
When you arrive for your first appointment, you'll meet with a provider. He or she will ask about your medical history, perform an exam, and order tests.
Your doctor may order tests to diagnose gout, including:
With early diagnosis, proper treatment, and lifestyle changes, most people with gout can manage symptoms when an attack occurs and lower their risk of a future attack. Medication can help reduce uric acid to normal levels. Over time, with treatment, uric acid crystals disappear.
Symptoms of acute gout usually get better in a week or two without treatment, and you may feel better for several weeks or months. With treatment, flares can resolve in hours to days. However, without long-term management of gout, you may have recurrent attacks that can lead to other complications, including an increased risk of heart attacks.
The goals of gout treatment are to:
Your doctor may recommend treatments, including:
Although you may not be able to completely prevent gout, your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes to reduce your risk of flare-ups, including:
Your doctor may prescribe medications to treat gout flare-ups, including:
When taken regularly, these medications can reduce your risk of flare-ups and complications.
When you choose UPMC for gout care, you will receive:
By UPMC Editorial Staff. Last reviewed on 2025-04-04.
