Gout is a common disease of the joints. You may experience sudden, severe attacks of pain, redness and tenderness in the joints, especially at the base of the big toe. You may wake up in the middle of the night feeling like your big toe is on fire.
The affected joint is so tender that you may have difficulty turning over in bed. The most commonly affected joints are the big toe, foot, ankle, heel, instep and knee. Gout rarely affects the joints of the upper limbs such as the fingers or wrists.