1. Sudden joint pain at night
According to the Mayo Clinic (USA), severe joint pain at night, especially in the big toes, ankles or knees, is a typical sign when uric acid spikes. The pain often appears suddenly, causing the patient to wake up in the middle of the night.
2. Hot, swollen, red in the joints while sleeping
When uric acid crystallizes into urate crystals, they cause acute arthritis. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS, USA) said that swelling, redness and a burning sensation in joints are most noticeable at night, due to hypothermia, which easily stimulates the deposition of urate crystals.
3. Many sleepless nights, with uncomfortable feelings
High uric acid not only affects joints but also increases the risk of kidney stones. The Cleveland Clinic (USA) warns that having to wake up many times to urinate at night, with frequent urination or mild back pain, can be a warning sign that the kidneys are having problems with excess uric acid.
If you often experience one or more of the above signs, especially repeated nighttime joint pain, check uric acid levels in your blood. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), the safety level is below 7 mg/dL for men and below 6 mg/dL for women. Exceeding this threshold can increase the risk of gout, kidney stones and cardiovascular disease.
