Conditions and symptoms
What Is Gout? Uric Acid Arthritis
Gout · say it: gowtAlso written: gouty arthritis, crystal arthritis
Short answer
Gout is a type of arthritis caused by uric acid crystals in a joint, leading to sudden attacks of pain, swelling and redness.
What it means
Gout is a form of arthritis. When there is too much uric acid in the body, it can form needle-like crystals in and around joints. This causes sudden attacks of severe pain, swelling, warmth and redness, often in the big toe, but also in the ankle, knee, wrist or fingers. Attacks usually settle over days, but can come back.
Gout appears on labels in two ways. Medicines for gout list it as what they treat. Some other medicines, such as certain diuretics, list it as a caution, because they can raise uric acid and trigger attacks in people prone to gout.
Gout is different from osteoarthritis (wear-related joint changes) and rheumatoid arthritis (an autoimmune condition). A hot, swollen joint can also be an infection, which needs urgent checking.
Where you may see it
- Diuretic labels under 'Precautions'
- Gout medicine labels under 'Indications'
- Clinic letters and joint fluid test reports
📄 How it looks on a report
Thiazide diuretics may raise serum uric acid and precipitate gout in certain patients.
🙅 What it does not mean
- Gout is not caused only by diet; genes, kidney function and medicines play a big role.
- Feeling well between attacks does not mean the uric acid problem has gone away.
- A label caution about gout does not mean you cannot take the medicine; your doctor weighs it.
🗒️ Questions to ask your doctor
💊 Medicines whose labels mention “Gout”
Plain-English explanations of each medicine, from its official FDA label.
- Allopurinol
a xanthine oxidase inhibitor, a prescription medicine that acts on uric acid
- Aspirin
a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and a platelet aggregation inhibitor
- Colchicine
an alkaloid medicine, a compound obtained from the autumn crocus plant (colchicum autumnale)
- Hydrochlorothiazide
A thiazide diuretic, a type of medicine often called a 'water pill'
- Naproxen
a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), which is a medicine that reduces pain, swelling, and inflammation
- Prednisolone
a corticosteroid, a type of steroid medicine. The label describes glucocorticoids as adrenocortical steroids, both naturally occurring and synthetic, that are readily absorbed from the stomach and intestines.
- Prednisone
a corticosteroid, a type of steroid medicine that works like the adrenocortical (adrenal gland) steroids the body makes naturally
🔗 Read more from trusted sources
- “Gout” on MedlinePlus ↗
US National Library of Medicine
- NCI Dictionary definition ↗
US National Cancer Institute: “gout”
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