Chronic conditions
Gout Attacks: Treatment and Prevention
Ease a gout flare fast, learn the foods and habits that trigger attacks and see when daily medication can prevent them for good.
During an attack
- Start your prescribed gout medicine as early as possible.
- Rest the joint and raise it.
- Ice for 15 to 20 minutes at a time (wrapped in a cloth).
- Drink plenty of water.
- Avoid alcohol until it settles.
Most attacks improve within a few days with treatment and settle within one to two weeks.
Common triggers
- Beer and spirits
- Sugary drinks and high-fructose corn syrup
- Red meat, organ meats and some seafood (anchovies, sardines, shellfish)
- Dehydration and crash diets
- Some medicines, such as water pills
- Illness, surgery or injury
Preventing future attacks
Uric acid-lowering medicines (allopurinol is most common) are started at a low dose and increased until uric acid is below 6 mg/dL. In the first months, a low dose of colchicine or an anti-inflammatory helps prevent flares while levels settle. Lifestyle changes help too: weight loss, fewer sugary drinks, less alcohol, and cherries or low-fat dairy may help some people.
How we can help
We confirm the diagnosis, treat attacks quickly (often by telehealth), check kidney function and uric acid at discounted lab prices, and set up a long-term prevention plan with regular follow-up.
Questions people ask
How long does a gout attack last?
Usually three to ten days, shorter if treated early.
Do I need to stop eating meat?
Not entirely. Reducing red and organ meats, and some seafood, helps. Medicine is the most effective prevention for frequent attacks.
Can allopurinol be started during an attack?
Traditionally it was started after an attack, but it can sometimes be started during one with flare protection. We will advise based on your situation.
Talk it through with Lydia
Tired of gout flare-ups? Let us help you stop them for good. See a board-certified nurse practitioner virtually anywhere in Virginia, in our Woodbridge office, or straight to your front door in much of Northern Virginia.
Visits start at $85, and every membership comes with a 30-day trial.
Prefer to ask first? Text us at (571) 402-2102 or message us on WhatsApp.
