Acute Gouty Arthritis
1 medicine
Acute gouty arthritis is sudden, severe joint pain caused by uric acid crystals building up in a joint. It is treated with fast-acting anti-inflammatory medicines such as indometacin.
Key facts
- Acute gouty arthritis is sudden, intensely painful joint inflammation caused by uric acid crystals building up in the joint space, most often in the big toe, though ankles, knees, and wrists are affected too.
- A flare typically peaks within 24 hours and can last days to a couple of weeks without treatment.
- Common triggers include a meal heavy in red meat or shellfish, alcohol (especially beer), dehydration, and certain medicines.
- A fast-acting anti-inflammatory such as indometacin, one of the painkillers available, is the main treatment during a flare.
- Seek medical assessment promptly if pain is severe, spreading, or comes with a high fever, since an infected joint can look similar.
What's happening
Gout develops when uric acid, a normal waste product from breaking down purines in food and cells, builds up faster than the kidneys can clear it. Once blood levels rise high enough, needle-shaped crystals form in a joint and the immune system reacts to them as if they were an infection, producing the sudden redness, swelling, heat, and severe pain of a flare.
What triggers a gout flare
Uric acid builds up in the blood when the body produces too much of it or the kidneys clear too little. Common triggers include a meal heavy in red meat or shellfish, alcohol (especially beer), dehydration, and certain medicines. Over time, repeated high uric acid levels lead to crystal deposits that trigger sudden, intense joint inflammation when disturbed.
How it's treated
During a flare, a fast-acting anti-inflammatory is the main goal. Indometacin is a well-established non-steroidal option used specifically for acute attacks. It's one of the painkillers available and works by reducing the inflammatory response to the crystals rather than dissolving them.
Staying well hydrated and resting the affected joint help shorten a flare.
When to see a doctor
If pain is severe, spreading, or accompanied by a high fever, seek medical assessment promptly, since an infected joint can present in a similar way.
This page is educational and does not replace advice from a doctor or pharmacist who knows your health history.