Can women get gout?

Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis that develops in some people who have high levels of uric acid in the blood. It occurs in about 4 percent of American adults, but is more likely to affect men than women. read more

"Because gout occurs 3-4 times more frequently in males than it does in females, there's a perception that women don't get gout, so doctors often misdiagnose it in women," said Dr. John Brandeisky of the strong suspicion he had in Sundbye's case and the diagnosis he was quickly able to confirm. Brandeisky is a foot surgeon and podiatrist affiliated with CentraState Medical Center in Freehold. read more

Gout has traditionally been thought of as a disease of older men, but older women get it, too. A recent national health survey found that about 4% of women in their 60s and 6% of those in their 80s had gout. read more

"For most people gout is a red flag, warning you that your lifestyle is damaging your health," says Dr Nuki. "It can be an indication that more harmful conditions are around the corner." If left untreated, gout crystals can build up in the kidneys, causing kidney stones. read more