Hippocrates referred to gout as “arthritis of the rich” because back then it mainly afflicted those who could afford dietary excess. Today it is far more inclusive and just as likely to strike a lorry driver as a lord, particularly in the UK. We are the gout capital of Europe, with one in 40 adults affected to some degree, many of whom suffer unnecessarily because they are missing out on optimum treatment. And it is not just their joints that could be at risk.
Gout is caused by a build-up of uric acid, a by-product of metabolism. High levels can lead to the precipitation of crystals in the joints and skin leading to the classic symptom of a sore big toe, but any part
