The uric acid crystals that cause gout will have been building up in your joints for years before they cause your first actual attack of gout. You may not even realize that the aches and pains are not just normal aging pains until you have a full blown gout attack.

Sometimes the pain can begin during the night and it can become extremely intense so that even the lightest pressure placed upon (including just a sheet covering it) can be intolerable to some people.

Many people who suffer from gout find that when an attack occurs the discomfort that they feel comes on very rapidly and may last for a few hours during the night.  But then the discomfort that they are feeling will slowly begin to ease once more over the following 2 to 7 days.

If you or someone you know starts to have any of the gout symptoms we have mentioned here it is vital that they go to see a DR. While the initial pain may dissipate after a few days it will come back , and may be much worse the next time, unless they take proper medication.

If you are one of many people who suffer from gout, then chances are that you’ve heard people saying that the is the disease of kings and that the cause of it is too much beer and rich food.  This can lead people to thinking that their kids are not at risk from gout, as I’m quite sure your kids don’t drink a lot of beer.

One of the causes of gout is the increase of uric crystals around your joints.  Mostly this will start to show itself in your big toe, from here it can travel around your body causing more damage as it goes.  It doesn’t matter that you could be very young and consider yourself not at risk from gout, you are not too young to feel the pain that gout attacks bring.

Your weekly trip to the supermarket should be the basis of preventing gout problems in your family.  You can cut out foods which are bad for you before they get anywhere near your fridge or kitchen.  For a start you can avoid foods and drinks which contain high levels of uric acid causing chemicals.  Also try to cut out drinks which are high in fructose.  By doing this you can cut down on the chances of your children developing gout problems, as well as leading a more healthy lifestyle in general.