Chances are you've heard of arthritis, but you may not be familiar with one particular variety: gout. If you are, you may think of it as somewhat outdated—Benjamin Franklin was one famous sufferer—but in fact, cases of gout are actually ticking up, according to new studies. The most recent data, published in Scientific Reports in July, showed a global increase in disability-associated life years (DALYs; the sum of the years of life lost due to premature mortality) associated with gout from 1990 to 2019. The U.S. had the highest increase in cases in both males and females.
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A separate study published in Therapeutic Advances in Endocrinology and Metabolism in March also analyzed the prevalence and the number of new gout cases over the same time period, anticipating that "with the development of society, the disease burden of gout will become increasingly severe."
"It is very important to study the accurate epidemiological data on gout for clinical diagnosis and treatment and health policy," the authors of the second study wrote.
Considering these findings, you may want to familiarize yourself with the signs and symptoms of gout, which can be particularly painful.
According to Mayo Clinic, gout symptoms typically appear "suddenly" at night. You may feel intense joint pain, specifically in your big toe. However, other joints can be affected, including the ankles, knees, elbows, wrists, and fingers. Pain is "most severe" four to 12 hours after it starts.
Gout is also characterized by "lingering discomfort," inflammation and redness, and a limited range of motion, Mayo Clinic notes.
It's recommended that you contact your healthcare provider if you have a "sudden, intense pain in a joint," as the condition can get worse and lead to joint damage if left untreated. A fever or a hot and inflamed joint may be signs of infection, meaning you should get to a doctor immediately, Mayo Clinic warns.
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According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), gout occurs when "high levels of urate build up in your body over a long period of time," forming "needle-shaped crystals in and around the joint" and leading to inflammation and arthritis.
"These crystals do not belong in the joints and when there is something found where it doesn’t belong, especially in tight spaces, the area gets inflamed and painful," Eric Ascher, DO, family medicine physician at Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital, told Yahoo Life. "Even a bedsheet over the area infected could cause someone a large deal of pain and discomfort."
The condition is more common in women and typically develops in middle age after menopause, per the NIH.
The Scientific Reportsstudy points out that a simultaneous rise in "conditions known to be precursors to gout"—obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension (high blood pressure), and renal diseases—may be the reason for the surge in cases. You're more likely to develop gout if you have a family history of the condition, while certain medicines such as diuretics, low-dose aspirin, niacin, and a form of immunosuppressant called cyclosporine can also increase your risk.
If you are diagnosed with gout, your doctor may prescribe medication, one that helps reduce inflammation and pain or another that works to prevent complications by lowering the amount of uric acid. What your doctor prescribes will depend on how often you get gout attacks and how intense your symptoms are.
