What are the characteristics of gout pain? (severe, tearing, burning, pulsating)

Oh, when it comes to the pain of gout, it's truly no laughing matter. The words you listed (intense, tearing, burning sensation, throbbing) are all very accurate; it's essentially the culmination of all these sensations.

Let me describe it to you this way:

• Intense is fundamental. Many people describe it as the worst pain they've ever experienced, bar none. This pain erupts suddenly, often waking you up from sleep in the middle of the night, and immediately reaches its peak, making it utterly unbearable.

• The tearing/stabbing sensation is particularly pronounced. You'll feel as if your joint is filled with shards of broken glass, and with the slightest movement, those "shards" grate back and forth inside. That feeling is truly like knives cutting into your flesh.

• The burning sensation is also excruciating. The affected joint becomes red and swollen, scalding hot to the touch, feeling as if there's a fire burning inside.

• The throbbing pain. You'll clearly feel your heartbeat, and with each beat, the painful joint "thumps" and aches in sync, in relentless waves, offering no respite.

To sum it up, imagine one of your joints (most commonly the big toe) suddenly catching fire in the middle of the night, filled with broken glass, and then someone is taking a small hammer and, in sync with your heartbeat, repeatedly striking that burning joint.

Furthermore, the area becomes extremely sensitive. Forget touching it; sometimes even the weight of a blanket or a gust of air can trigger a piercing, excruciating pain.