What should you know about gout flare up?

A flare may begin abruptly, sometimes overnight, and can make light touch or movement uncomfortable. It commonly affects a toe, ankle, knee, or another joint. Joint pain and joint swelling can occur together; symptoms alone do not confirm gout because infection, injury, and other forms of arthritis can look similar.

Gout is a condition in which urate builds up and forms crystals inside or around a joint. A flare is the inflammatory response to those crystals, while the underlying tendency can remain between attacks. Learn more about [Gout](/conditions/gout/) and related [Joint Pain](/symptoms/joint-pain/).

Rest the affected joint, raise the limb when practical, and use a cool pack wrapped in cloth for short periods. Drink fluids unless a clinician has restricted your intake. Take a previously prescribed flare medicine exactly as directed; do not start, stop, or combine medicines without checking a pharmacist or clinician, particularly if you have kidney disease, stomach problems, or take blood thinners.

Record when the pain began, which joint is affected, possible triggers, and every medicine or supplement you use. This helps a clinician distinguish a flare from another cause and plan prevention.

Arrange prompt medical assessment for a first suspected flare, a flare that is not improving with your prescribed plan, or repeated attacks. Seek urgent care for fever, chills, feeling very unwell, rapidly spreading redness, a wound near the joint, or inability to move or bear weight. These features can signal a joint infection or another problem that needs timely treatment.

Ask: Could another condition explain this joint swelling? Which treatment should I use at the first sign of a flare? Do my kidney health, other medicines, or diet affect the plan? How will we reduce future attacks?