Understanding Gout: Symptoms, Causes, and Diagnostic Testing

Gout happens when sharp, needle-like crystals of uric acid build up in your joints — and yes, they feel just as painful as they sound. These urate crystals form when there’s too much uric acid floating around in your bloodstream. Uric acid is a waste product your body makes when it breaks down purines, which are found in certain foods like red meat, organ meats, seafood, and even in some drinks like beer and sugary sodas.

Normally, your kidneys help clear uric acid out through your urine. But when your body makes too much, or your kidneys can’t get rid of enough, that excess starts to collect — and that’s when the trouble begins. The uric acid hardens into crystals that settle in your joints, leading to swelling, redness, and the intense, burning pain of a gout flare-up (Mayo Clinic, 2022).

Gout isn’t just bad luck — several factors can push your uric acid levels up and trigger those painful flare-ups. Here’s what might be putting you at risk (Mayo Clinic, 2022; Barhum, 2022):

Your Diet

Love steak, liver, or prawns? Foods high in purines — like red meat, organ meats, and certain seafoods — raise uric acid levels. Alcohol (especially beer) and sugary drinks sweetened with fructose can also make things worse.

Your Weight

Carrying extra weight doesn’t just put more stress on your joints. It also means your body is producing more uric acid — and your kidneys may struggle to clear it out efficiently.

Underlying Health Issues

Conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, and kidney problems can all increase your chances of developing gout.

Certain Medications

Some medicines, including diuretics (water pills), low-dose aspirin, and anti-rejection drugs for transplant patients, can cause uric acid to rise.

Family History

If gout runs in your family, you’re more likely to experience it too. Genetics can affect how well your body processes and eliminates uric acid.

Age and Gender

Gout tends to strike men between 30 and 50, while women usually don’t experience it until after menopause — when their uric acid levels start to catch up.

Gout doesn’t ease in gently — it hits fast, often in the middle of the night, and leaves you wide awake wondering what just happened. Here’s what to expect if you’re having a flare (Mayo Clinic, 2022; Barhum, 2022):

Intense Joint Pain

The big toe is the classic spot for a gout attack, but it’s not the only one. Ankles, knees, elbows, wrists, and fingers can also be affected. The pain tends to be at its worst in the first 4 to 12 hours — sharp, sudden, and hard to ignore.

Lingering Discomfort

Even after the worst of the pain fades, the joint might still feel sore or stiff for days — sometimes even weeks. Over time, flare-ups can last longer and start hitting more than one joint at a time.

Swelling and Redness

The joint often becomes red, swollen, and tender to the touch. It might feel hot and look inflamed — as if it’s been injured, even if you’ve done nothing out of the ordinary.

Stiffness and Trouble Moving

If gout becomes a recurring issue, it can limit how well the affected joint moves. Over time, repeated flare-ups can start to damage the joint and reduce flexibility.

If you’ve ever woken up with a burning sensation in your big toe, or if your joints suddenly swell, redden, and feel tender to the touch, you might already be familiar with the sudden, searing pain of a gout attack. Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis, and while its flare-ups can feel unpredictable, the root cause is often something you can test and manage — inflammation and uric acid buildup in the blood.

That’s where Epicentre’s Arthritis & Inflammation Profile comes in.

The package isn’t just designed for people with vague joint pain. It targets the core drivers of inflammatory conditions like gout and helps uncover hidden triggers that may be contributing to your flare-ups.

Here’s how each test in the package supports a better understanding of your condition:

✅ Uric Acid Test

The star of the show for gout. Gout is caused by excess uric acid in the blood that forms painful crystals in your joints. This test measures your current uric acid level and can help confirm whether you’re at risk or actively experiencing a flare-up.

✅ C-Reactive Protein (CRP)

CRP is a marker of acute inflammation in the body. During a gout attack, CRP levels can spike. This test helps track how severe the inflammation is and whether your joints are under active attack.

✅ Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR)

Like CRP, ESR tells us about ongoing inflammation. It’s especially useful to monitor between flare-ups to see if there’s chronic inflammation simmering under the surface — even when you feel okay.

✅ Full Blood Count (FBC)

This test checks for overall health indicators, including signs of infection or systemic inflammation. For gout sufferers, it can help rule out other causes of joint pain and provide a general wellness snapshot.

✅ Kidney Function Tests (U&E, Creatinine)

Your kidneys are responsible for clearing uric acid from the body. If they’re not working efficiently, your uric acid levels can climb — making gout worse or harder to treat. This test tells you how well your kidneys are doing their job.

Managing gout isn’t just about popping a painkiller during a flare. It’s about understanding your body’s inflammatory response, how well you’re clearing uric acid, and what else might be contributing to the inflammation.

With this package, you’re not just testing one marker — you’re getting a complete picture:

– What’s causing the pain?

– Is there hidden inflammation even when you’re not flaring up?

– Are your kidneys helping or hurting your uric acid balance?

Whether you’ve had gout for years or you’re trying to figure out if that toe pain is more than just a bruise, Epicentre’s Arthritis & Inflammation Profile is a smart and proactive first step.

No referrals. No long waits. Just walk in, get tested, and get answers.