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.