Signs and Symptoms Of Gout
Gout typically becomes symptomatic suddenly without warning. It frequently affects the large joint of the foot such as metatarsal joint of the big toe and knee joint, but can also attack the ankles, elbows, fingers, and wrists. It usually progresses through various stages, and its signs and symptoms are thus are experienced differently according to the stage. These include;
Asymptomatic Hyperuricemia
It is essential to recognize that although almost all patients with gout have high levels of uric acid in the blood (hyperuricemia), not all patients with hyperuricemia develop gout. Before having their first gout attack, most patients will have raised levels of uric acid in the blood for many years. However, there are no definitive guidelines for treatment during this period, especially in the absence of apparent signs or symptoms of gout. This stage of gout with active uric acid in blood but no clinical signs is termed ‘asymptomatic hyperuricemia.’
The risk of an acute gouty attack increases with elevated uric acid levels. But, interestingly, many patients can have attacks with “normal” levels of uric acid, while others will never get an attack despite high levels of uric acid. This can be attributed to genetic predisposition and other socio-environmental factors.