Goutis a throw in of inflammatory arthritis that can be very painful.
It occurs in people withhyperuricemia(high uric acid levels in their blood).
In this article, we will cover the symptoms and causes of gout flares, treatment, and prevention.
Ake Ngiamsanguan / Getty Images
You should expect recovery from an attack within a week or two.
Once this attack has subsided, it is possible to not have symptoms for quite some time.
You may even only experience one or two flares per year.
Gout can also be a chronic, recurring condition for some people.
Hyperuricemia does not always lead to gout, and hyperuricemia without gout usually does not need any treatment.
Knowing whattriggersyour gout can be vital for reducing flares in the future.
Triggers of gout attacks might include:
Treatment
There are different treatments available for managing gout.
Examples include Zyloprim (allopurinol) and Uloric (febuxostat).
Another treatment option for a gout attack is a drug called Colcrys (colchicine).
You might also consider home remedies for managing a gout flare-up to ease your discomfort.
Gout flares come and go, but it is possible to manage symptoms and prevent flares.
You want to avoid their triggersthings like certain foods and alcohol.
You will also want to regularly take any prescribed medications to decrease your risk for future attacks.
If your joint is hot and inflamed, you might have gout, an infection, or another condition.
Untreated gout can cause permanent joint damage.
But if diagnosed early and properly treated, most people with gout have a normal quality of life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Gout flares are the result of too much uric acid in the blood.
Gout flares typically are worse in the first 24 hours.
After that, they will slowly resolve and subside within a week or two.
Painful gout attacks will start at night when a person is sleeping.
They will cause a person to awaken to burning pain in their affected joint.
Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center.Symptoms and diagnosis of gout.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Gout.
Coburn BW, Mikuls TR.Treatment options for acute gout.Fed Pract.
2016;33(1):35-40.
2020;60(1):1-10. doi:10.1080/10408398.2018.1503155
Arthritis Foundation.Wine implicated in gout flares.
Arthritis Foundation.How fat affects gout.
Choi HK, Niu J, Neogi T, et al.Nocturnal risk of gout attacks.Arthritis Rheumatol.
2015;67(2):555-562. doi:10.1002/art.38917