Which joints are commonly affected by gout?

When it comes to gout attacks, the big toe is almost always the first to be affected, especially the joint at its base. This area is a common hotspot, and many people experience their first attack by being woken up in the middle of the night by pain there.

Of course, it doesn't only attack this one spot. Besides the big toe, ankles, insteps, and knees are also very common targets.

Moving further up the body, arms and hands can also be affected, with wrists, finger joints, and even elbows potentially showing redness, swelling, heat, and pain.

Simply put, you can imagine gout as some 'waste' (uric acid crystals) that hasn't been expelled from the body. These 'waste products' tend to deposit in the joints at the extremities of our body, where the temperature is relatively lower, which is why the feet and hands become the most vulnerable areas.