4. Tophi
Untreated gout can lead to tophi, or urate crystal deposits under the skin. Gout episodes can cause these hard nodules to become painful and inflamed. Tophi may create deformities and severe discomfort in joints, impair movement, and finally ruin your joints completely. The tophi may also erode your skin and discharge a white chalky material.
Gout comes in four phases, the most severe of which is tophaceous gout. It usually affects those who have chronic, untreated gout, but it can also affect people who have had a heart transplant. When uric acid crystals build masses of white growths surrounding the joints and tissues affected by gout, tophaceous gout develops.
Recommended For You
