Question 1

What are the symptoms of a gout attack?

Accepted Answer

A gout attack usually causes sudden, severe pain in a single joint — most often the big toe — that becomes red, hot, and swollen. Pain often starts at night and peaks within 12 to 24 hours.

Question 2

How do I know if it's gout or something else?

Accepted Answer

Gout tends to come on suddenly in one joint with intense pain, redness, and swelling. Only a doctor can confirm it with a uric acid blood test or by checking joint fluid for urate crystals. This free symptom checker gives an educational estimate, not a diagnosis.

Question 3

Where does gout usually start?

Accepted Answer

Gout most commonly starts in the big toe, but it can also affect the ankle, knee, midfoot, wrist, or fingers. It usually affects one joint at a time in early attacks.

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