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Gout generally occurs in four (4) stages (asymptomatic, acute, intercritical and chronic) and has the following signs and symptoms:
Asymptomatic stage - urate levels rise in the blood, but produces no symptoms
Acute stage - symptoms usually lasting five to 10 days
sudden attack of joint pain
swelling
joints feel hot, tender and look dusty red or bruised
Intercritical stage - symptom-free intervals between gout episodes. Most people have a second attack from six months to two years, while others are symptom-free for five to 10 years.
Chronic stage
persistently painful joints with large urate deposits in the cartilage, membranes between the bones, tendons and soft tissues
skin over the deposits develop sores and release a white pus
joint stiffness
limited motion of affect joint
Diagnosis of Gout
The diagnosis of gout is based on symptoms, blood tests showing high levels of uric acid, and the finding of urate crystals in joint fluid. In chronic gout, x-rays show damage to the cartilage and bones.
