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How is gout diagnosed?

To work out whether you have gout, your doctor may give you a physical exam and do some tests. They may do a joint fluid test, using a needle to collect some fluid from the affected joint. They will then send the fluid to the laboratory where it will be examined to see if the sample contains uric acid crystals, the main cause of gout. Sometimes a sample of blood or urine will also be tested to measure uric acid levels. However, these tests are not always useful because some people with gout may not have abnormally high levels of uric acid, especially during an attack.

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Author: Jonathan Meddings BMedLabSc (Hons)
First answered: 26 Nov 2014
Last reviewed: 14 May 2019
Rating: 4.1 out of 5
Votes: 511 (Click smiley face below to rate)
Category: Arthritis

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