Not just something for the history books, gout is all too real. One in ten Americans over the age of 70 will experience at least one attack of gout, something gout patients generally describe as the worst pain imaginable. High amounts of a molecule called uric acid can crystallize in joints, causing a very painful inflammation in the big toe or a knuckle. Over time, a knot can build, called a tophus . While sometimes caused by severe kidney problems, cancer treatment or by some kinds of medications, blaming gout symptoms on a diet rich in meat and alcohol is not quite accurate. The ...

Living with gout can be like sitting on a ticking time bomb. An attack can come on unexpectedly and be excruciatingly painful, even crippling.

Gout is a form of arthritis that has been known for thousands of years. At times, it has been called "the disease of kings," as it has been falsely linked to the excess eating and drinking that only the rich could afford.

For some patients, gout, a painful form of arthritis, is simply a manageable annoyance. For others, it can be a chronic and debilitating condition that requires ongoing medications and significant lifestyle changes.

"It first began about three weeks ago when I woke up thinking I'd broken my big toe," writes a gentleman on an online support forum. "As I now realize, this is a text book gout entrance. By that Monday - the 7th day - the pain had increased enough for me to decide it was time to visit the doctor. By Monday afternoon, my foot had swollen up and it had become almost impossible to walk," he recalls.