What are the symptoms of gout?

Johns Hopkins Medicine answered:

Gout is characterized by sudden, recurrent attacks that often occur without warning. Severe, chronic gout may lead to deformity. The following are the most common symptoms of gout. However each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:

severe, sudden pain in one or more joints (most often the joint in the big toe)
swollen joint(s)
red or purplish, tight, shiny skin over joint
warmth in joint area
fever
chills
general feeling of illness
rapid heartbeat
hard lumps of urate crystal deposits under the skin (called tophi)

The symptoms of gout may resemble other medical conditions or problems. Always consult your physician for a diagnosis.

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Gout is characterized by sudden, recurrent attacks that often occur without warning. Severe, chronic gout may lead to deformity. The following are the most common symptoms of gout. However each individual may experience symptoms differently.... More

Debra Fulghum Bruce PhD answered:

Gout most commonly attacks the large toe with very severe pain, swelling, and redness in the joint. The pain is often too severe to walk or stand and may be so severe that even the weight of the bedsheets hurts the toe. It can also attack the ankle, knee, elbow or other joints. More than one joint can be painful and swollen at times. The attacks usually go away in a few weeks,, but if untreated, gout can return and cause a severe arthritis with deformity.

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More Related Answers from Debra Fulghum Bruce PhD

Gout most commonly attacks the large toe with very severe pain, swelling, and redness in the joint. The pain is often too severe to walk or stand and may be so severe that even the weight of the bedsheets hurts the toe. It can also attack the ankle,... More

Natural Standard, The Authority on Integrative Medicine answered:

Symptoms of gout almost always occur suddenly, especially at night. Gout causes the joints to become red, swollen, and stiff. The big toe is most commonly affected because gout symptoms typically develop in areas of the body that experience the most trauma. When the toe is affected, the symptom is often called podagra. Other commonly affected joints include the ankles, heels, knees, wrists, hands, fingers, and elbows. The pain may be so severe that a bed sheet touching the affected skin is unbearable. Symptoms generally subside after one to two weeks. Once symptoms are gone, the affected joints are not painful. However, if the patient does not receive treatment, attacks will come back (with increased frequency), and they will usually last longer and affect more joints.

You should read product labels, and discuss all therapies with a qualified healthcare provider. Natural Standard information does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

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More Related Answers from Natural Standard, The Authority on Integrative Medicine

Symptoms of gout almost always occur suddenly, especially at night. Gout causes the joints to become red, swollen, and stiff. The big toe is most commonly affected because gout symptoms typically develop in areas of the body that experience the... More

Healthwise answered:

Symptoms of gout include:

Warmth, pain, swelling and extreme tenderness in a joint, usually a big toe joint. This symptom is called podagra. The pain often starts during the night. It may get worse quickly, last for hours and be so intense that even light pressure from a sheet is intolerable.
Very red or purplish skin around the affected joint. The joint may appear to be infected.
Limited movement in the affected joint.
Peeling and itching of the skin around the affected joint as the gout gets better.

How symptoms vary

How, where and when the symptoms of gout appear vary.

Some people may not experience gout as many painful attacks. Instead they have gout nearly all the time (chronic gout). Chronic gout in older adults may be less painful and can be confused with other forms of arthritis.
Gout may lead to inflammation of the fluid sacs ( bursae ) that cushion tissues, particularly in the elbow (olecranon bursitis ) and knee (prepatellar bursitis).
Gout can also affect the joints of the feet, ankles, knees, wrists, fingers and elbows.
Symptoms may occur after an illness or surgery.
Gout may first appear as nodules ( tophi ) on the hands, elbows or ears. You may not have any of the classic symptoms of a gout attack.

There are many other conditions with symptoms similar to gout.