What Causes Gout? High Uric Acid

Painful attacks may be the symptom most associated with gout, but you shouldn’t let them prevent you from addressing its underlying cause. Gout is caused by a buildup of uric acid in your blood (hyperuricemia). As your uric acid level rises, so does the potential for gout and gout flares.

There are pain medications available to help during gout flares. But only by taking steps to decrease your uric acid level and keeping it there can you fight for fewer flares over the long term. In fact, reducing uric acid levels to less than 6 mg/dL is the goal for managing gout over the long term.

There are options that may help get you there. So, if you’re still suffering from gout flares, it is time to take action. Talk with your healthcare professional about your flares and your high uric acid level. The sooner you do, the sooner you may be able to get on track for fighting back.