Definition of agency. plural. agencies. 1a : the office or function of an agent (see agent 4)b : the relationship between a principal and that person's agent. 2 : the capacity, condition, or state of acting or of exerting power : operation. 3 : a person or thing through which power is exerted or an end is achieved : instrumentality communicated through the agency of the ambassador.
1 Gout is a type of arthritis that causes inflammation, usually in one joint, that begins suddenly. 2  Gouty arthritis is caused by the deposition of crystals of uric acid in a joint. 3  Gout can cause symptoms and signs such as. 4  nodules under the skin called tophi, 5  joint redness, 6  swollen joints, 7  joint pain, and.  warmth of the joint.
Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis that develops in some people who have high levels of uric acid in the blood. It occurs in about 4 percent of American adults, but is more likely to affect men than women. Read More >>. For many people, the first symptom of gout is excruciating pain and swelling in the big toe. Gout may also appear in the ankle or knee. Gout Causes. Uric acid can form needle-like crystals in a joint and cause sudden, severe episodes of pain, tenderness, redness, warmth and swelling.