Gout was once known as “the King’s disease” or the “rich man’s disease” because only the wealthy and the nobility were afflicted with it. Most people don’t realize that gout is actually a form of arthritis, and that there are multiple kinds of gout. In fact, this disease is often misunderstood and rumors about what cause it and how can be treated run rampant. But for those suffering from this condition, it is important to separate truth from fiction.

Rumor: Gout starts in the toes.
Gout can start in the toes, and the first attack is often accompanied by the toes turning red, feeling hot to the touch, and swelling. The affected joint is also extremely tender. But some people have also reported pain in their heels or other joints. The ankle, knee, or even the fingers can start aching with the first attack of gout as well.

Rumor: Once a person has a gout attack, they will happen regularly.
People can go months and in some occasions even years between gout attacks. In one study, 7% of patients did not have any recurrence of gout for 10 years after the first attack. Normally, though, a second attack happens somewhere between six months and two years after the first. A large majority of patients can expect a second attack within a year. But as this suggests, it is impossible to tell just when a gout attack will occur or how much time will pass between attacks. Each attack, however, does tend to increase in severity.

Rumor: Rich food and too much meat cause gout.
Gout is caused by a buildup of uric acid in the joints. Uric acid builds up when the kidneys cannot clean it out of the blood as fast as it is produced or when the body begins to produce too much. Sometimes the combination causes acid build up. Foods rich in purines, which include all meat, do contribute to a buildup of uric acid when broken down by the body, but dietary restrictions are now considered secondary treatments to gout medications.