What is Gout?
{{Infobox disease | Name = Gout | Image = The gout james gillray.jpg|300px | Width = 300px | Caption = ''Gout'', a 1799 caricature by [[James Gillray]] | DiseasesDB = 29031 | ICD10 = {{ICD10|M|10||m|05}} | ICD9 = {{ICD9|274.00}} {{ICD9|274.1}} {{ICD9|274.8}} {{ICD9|274.9}} | ICDO = | OMIM = | | OMIM_mult = {{OMIM2|300323}} | MedlinePlus = | | eMedicineSubj = emerg | eMedicineTopic = 221 | eMedicine_mult = [http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic924.htm# med/924] [http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic1112.htm# med/1112] [http://www.emedicine.com/oph/topic506.htm# oph/506] [http://www.emedicine.com/orthoped/topic124.htm# orthoped/124] [http://www.emedicine.com/radio/topic313.htm# radio/313] | MeshID = D006073}} '''Gout''' is a very painful [[Disease|medical condition]]. It is a red, tender, hot, swollen [[joint]]. When gout is happening somewhere it is called an attack. The attacks affect the joint at the base of the big [[toe]] about half the time<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gout</ref><ref>https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3810/pgm.2010.03.2133</ref>, but it can happen in any joint. Pain caused by gout may be hot, tinging, radiating (pain close to the joint because of gout)<ref>https://creakyjoints.org/about-arthritis/gout/gout-symptoms/what-gout-pain-feels-like</ref> and sudden<ref>https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/gout/</ref>. It is caused by [[Crystal|crystals]] of uric acid and sodium salt, called monosodium urate crystals. These are found in the [[blood]] and cause gout when the body puts them in fluid in joints. This happens when the level of [[uric acid]] in the blood is too high. The crystals stay in the joints, [[tendon]]s, and surrounding [[tissue (biology)|tissue]]s<ref name=Egg2007/> and cause pain. Joints are lubricated and protect the bones better when there are no crystals. Inflammatory [[arthritis]] happens in about 50% of all cases of gout. The disease may also appear as