Gout can present itself in a couple of different ways.
Inflammatory Arthritis
The most common is a type of inflammatory arthritis in the form of a red, hot, swollen joint most often occurring in the big toe.
Swelling can also develop in other areas of the body:
- Top of the foot
- Heel
- Ankles
- Knees
- Elbow
- Fingers
- Wrists
Joint pain usually begins overnight as body temperatures drop, especially at the extremities of the body such as the toes where there is little fat or tissue to insulate the joint.
Tophi
Deposits of uric acid crystals called Tophi can build up in people with longstanding hyperuricemia.
Tophi form in the joints, cartilage, bones and sometimes break through the skin to appear as white nodules.
If left untreated, Tophi can cause bone destruction and lead to noticeable disabilities.
Tophi generally only forms after a very long period of hyperuricemia which is why it is important to start combatting gout as early as possible.