Answer:
Gout is an excess of uric acid. The cause isn't so clear. It can be under excretion of urate, genetic predisposition or diet.
Gout develops when your body stops processing purines in food properly. In the process of breaking down purines uric acid is created. Normally your kidneys will remove the uric acid from your blood. If they do not then the high levels of uric acid form needle like crystals that settle inside of a joint or joints. The big toe is the joint most often affected.