Gout is a disease mainly of the joints. It often occurs suddenly. Nearly 840 out of every 100,000 people have gout. It is caused by the accumulation of crystals of uric acid around joints. Uric acid is produced by the breakdown of purines and is a normal chemical in the blood. Purines are a natural compound that contain nitrogen and are important in the formation of DNA. However when the levels of uric acid go above a certain amount they form painful sharp crystals, which irritate the joint lining and cause swelling and pain, also known as inflammation.

To imagine it in a simplified manner think about salt dissolving in water- after continuously adding salt to the water at one point it cannot dissolve any more. Inflammation involves the activation of the body