Gout symptoms often come on overnight and typically cause severe attacks of pain, heat, swelling and redness in the joints. Gout often affects joints in the ankles and feet, especially the big toes, but other joints including knees, wrists, elbows and fingers can also be affected.

Attacks can last anything from a few hours to days or weeks depending on what action is taken. An acute attack of gout affecting a big toe is usually very easy to diagnose but some people with gout have a more chronic form of the condition where the joints can become more persistently swollen and painful, and this can sometimes be confused with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, and the diagnosis of gout can be missed.

If there is any doubt about the cause of your arthritis you should ask to be referred to a rheumatologist for an expert assessment.