When To Call A Professional

Call your doctor whenever you have pain and swelling in a joint. If you have had gout in the past, your doctor may suggest you have NSAIDs available so you can take them at the earliest sign of an attack.

Prognosis

During the first few attacks of gouty arthritis, drug treatment started early in the attack usually will relieve symptoms within 48 hours or less. Without drug treatment, gout symptoms may go away on their own, but this usually takes several days.

More than 50% of people who have had one attack of gouty arthritis will have a second, usually within six months to two years. For people with more severe disease, long-term preventive medication is highly effective at lowering uric acid, which can prevent attacks and, over months to years, cause tophi to go away.

Additional Info

Arthritis Foundation P.O. Box 7669 Atlanta, GA 30357-0669 Phone: (404) 872-7100 Toll-Free: (800) 283-7800 http://www.arthritis.org/