Gout is a painful inflammatory arthritis of a joint (and occasionally other tissues) that comes about due to an inflammatory reaction to the depositing of uric acid crystals into the joint. The body deposits the uric acid crystals into joints when the urate level in the blood is too high. This can be becasue too much is taken in with foods that are high in purines or there is a kidney disease meaning that the body can not do a very good job of excreting the urates.
Gout most commonly affects the big toe joint in the feet and can be extremely painful during an acute attack. The attacks can often occur at night.
The gout is treated first with the use of drugs to relieve the pain. Then there are drugs that are taken to prevent the build up of the urates and to increase the amount that the kidney excretes. Diet also plays an important role.
