Gout is now the most treatable and preventable type of arthritis, yet one percent of the population still suffer from repeated attacks and the condition remains surrounded by myths and incomprehension. Bryan Emmerson, a leading world authority on nephrology specializing in gout, provides a complete background to an understanding of gout - an understanding that he argues is central to its prevention and treatment. He traces the condition from Hippocrates to the late-20th century, covering every aspect of gout likely to concern its victims, from biology to management and prevention. All the popular fallacies about the nature and causes of gout are discussed and subjected to scientific examination, yet in a way that is fully comprehensible to non-scientists. Is gout really a male-only problem? Does it only afflict the over-weight and middle-aged with extravagant tastes in food and drink? Should one never drink again once one has had gout? What effect does it have on life expectancy? How important is diet? The book ends with a chapter covering these issues and more, and offering practical, sympathetic advice. For those with a disease that can cause life-long suffering, So you've got gout! offers a path to better health and to the complete prevention of gout and its complications.