ELI5: What is gout?

Gout is a type of arthritis that happens when too much of a substance called uric acid builds up in your body and forms sharp crystals in your joints, causing pain.

Imagine your body is like a kitchen that makes a special ingredient called uric acid. Usually, the kitchen is good at cleaning up any extra uric acid, like throwing away leftovers. But sometimes, the kitchen makes too much, or it doesn't clean up well enough.

When this happens, the extra uric acid turns into tiny, sharp crystals, like tiny needles, and these needles get stuck in your joints, especially in your big toe. Ouch!

These crystals irritate your joint, making it:

• Red
• Swollen
• Very, very painful

So, to recap:

• Your body makes uric acid.
• Too much uric acid turns into crystals.
• These crystals get stuck in your joints.
• The crystals cause pain, swelling, and redness.