Health Conditions

What is it?

Gout is a type of arthritis (inflammation of the joints) that mostly arises in men age 40 years and older. Women can also develop gout, although it is more likely to occur after menopause. Gout is caused by a buildup of needlelike uric acid crystals in the joints. Uric acid is a waste product in your body that comes from two sources:

1. Normal cell metabolism
2. Digestion of the food you eat

Under normal conditions, most uric acid is passed through the kidneys and is eventually excreted in the urine. There is a small amount of uric acid in your blood at all times, which does not cause problems. However, in patients with gout, amounts of uric acid in the blood is higher than normal, either because their body produces too much uric acid or because their kidneys are unable remove uric acid from the blood. The excess amount of uric acid in individuals with gout is stored in the joints and over a period of time may result in crystal formation. The uric acid crystals deposited in the joints are responsible for the excruciating pain of gout.

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