Gout

Gout - Information Every Elder Should Know

Gout is caused by too much uric acid in the blood. This is known as hyperuricemia. Uric acid is a breakdown product of purines that are part of many foods we eat.

When these levels are too high, uric acid can cause hard and painful crystals to form in the joints.

Your doctor can detect if you have gout by taking a sample of fluid from your joint to look for uric acid crystals or by drawing blood to measure the amount of uric acid in your blood.