What does gout feel like?

Gout causes pain, tenderness and swelling of the joints. Joints also sometimes feel warm. Gout symptoms occur without warning and generally begin in the big toe, but it is possible that they occur in other places, such as the feet, ankles, knees and wrist, according to the Mayo Clinic.

The initial pain associated with gout is quite severe and lasts up to 24 hours. After the initial onset of symptoms, the severity of the pain usually subsides. However, the next phase is often general joint discomfort that lasts anywhere from a few days to a few weeks and sometimes spreads to other parts of the body, says LiveScience.