What Is Gout?

Imagine needle-sharp shards of glass inserted between the bones of your joints, grating and grinding with every move. That not-so-happy image is the pain of gout, one of the more common forms of arthritis. Of course it’s not actually glass; in some people with a genetic susceptibility — men more often than women — the body converts excess uric acid into crystals that can accumulate in joints. The extreme pain usually starts in the big toe; gout can also settle into other joints of the feet, ankles, knees, fingers, wrists, and elbows.