Watch For Nodules

One of the hallmark symptoms of gout are nodules which form around joints, also called a tophus. When a person’s uric acid levels remain high for too long, deposits of urate crystals begin to form. These nodules commonly appear around finger and toe joints but can also form on bone and cartilage. While nodules can appear as early as three years after the onset of gout, on average it takes about 10 years for tophus to form.

Lowering uric acid levels is extremely important in slowing the formation of nodules. This means eating less meat and avoiding sugary drinks like pop and alcohol. Once the body reaches an acceptable level of uric acid, nodules will begin to shrink and new ones stop forming. There are medications such as Krystexxa which can be used to aggressively shrink nodules. If the nodules have caused considerable loss of mobility and bone destruction, they can be removed surgically as a last resort.