What Are the Treatments for Acute Gout?
A complex form of arthritis, gout commonly affects the joints at the base of the big toe, instep, wrists, elbows, knees and ankles. The intense pain of a gout attack results when high levels of uric acid, a byproduct of protein metabolism, crystallize into urate and form deposits in vulnerable joints. The sharp crystals inflame the joints causing intolerable burning pain, redness and swelling. According to the Mayo Clinic, the pain of an acute gout attack peaks in the first 12 to 24 hours.
