By Mary Jo DiLonardoWebMD Feature When you have gout, you have higher than normal levels of uric acid in your body. When too much uric acid builds up around a joint, uric crystal forms, causing a painful gout flare.
An attack of gout can be so painful that most people would do anything to avoid another. Unfortunately, flare-ups often occur. Studies show that people who have suffered a first attack of gout have a 62% chance of suffering another within a year. The odds climb to almost 80% within two years.