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Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock Locked padlock icon ) or means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis that causes pain and swelling in your joints, usually as flares that last for a week or two, and then resolve. Gout flares often begin in your big toe or a lower limb. Gout happens when high levels of urate build up in your body over a long period of time, which can then form needle-shaped crystals in and around the joint. This leads to inflammation and arthritis of the joint. When the body makes too much urate, or removes too little, urate levels build up in the body. However, many people with high levels of serum urate will not develop gout. Joints. Bursae, cushion-like sacs between bones and other soft tissues. Tendon sheaths, membranes that surround tendons. Kidneys, because the high uric acid levels can lead to stones. Hyperuricemia, when you have elevated levels of urate in your blood over a long period of time and even crystals in the joint, but you do not have symptoms. Gout flares, when you have periodic attacks of intense pain and swelling in your joints. Interval or intercritical gout, which is the time between gout attacks when you do not have any symptoms. Tophi, a late stage of gout when crystals build up in the skin or other areas of the body. Depending on their location, tophi can permanently damage your joints and other internal organs such as the kidneys. Proper treatment can prevent the development of tophi. With early diagnosis, treatment, and lifestyle changes, gout is one of the most controllable forms of arthritis. Many people avoid gout flares and can decrease the severity of their symptoms, and can even become gout free. Many people develop gout. It is more common in men than in women. Gout usually develops in middle age. Women usually do not develop gout before menopause, which is why women tend to develop the disease at a later age than men. Less frequently, younger people develop the disease; however, if they do, the disease tends to be more severe. The most common symptom of gout is pain in the affected joint. Many people have their first flare of gout in one of their big toes, but it can also affect other joints in your body. Gout flares often start suddenly at night, and the intense pain may be bad enough to wake you up. In addition, your joint may feel swollen, red, and warm. Gout flares usually occur in one joint and can be triggered by certain foods, alcohol, certain medications, physical trauma, or certain illnesses. Flares typically get better over a week or two, and in between, you usually don’t have symptoms. Some people may have frequent flares, while others may not have another flare for years. However, over time, if left untreated, your flares may happen more often and last longer. If gout is untreated over long periods of time, tophi can develop. A tophus is the buildup of needle-shaped crystals that cause hard lumps to form under the skin, in and around the joints and other organs. Tophi start out as painless; however, over time, they can become painful and can cause bone and soft tissue damage and misshapen joints. Some people with gout may be more likely to have or develop other conditions or complications, especially with the heart and kidneys. Common conditions include: Hypertension (high blood pressure). Chronic kidney disease. Obesity. Diabetes. Nephrolithiasis (kidney stones). Myocardial Infarction (heart attack). Congestive heart failure. Gout happens when urate, a substance in your body, builds up and forms needle-shaped crystals in your joints. This leads to pain, swelling, redness, and changes in the movement and use of the affected joint. However, not everyone with high urate levels develops gout. Urate comes from purines, which a