Your clinician may prescribe colchicine (Colcrys) or a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) like indomethacin, diclofenac, or naproxen to relieve the symptoms of a gout flare. You can't get prescriptions for urate-lowering therapy (ULT) like allopurinol (Zyloprim) or febuxostat (Uloric) through Amazon Clinic at this time.

Please note: This information is for general reference only. Your clinician will review your symptoms and health history to determine which (if any) treatments are medically appropriate.

Gout is a kind of arthritis caused by high levels of uric acid in the bloodstream (hyperuricemia). When your body produces too much uric acid or--more likely--doesn't excrete enough uric acid in your urine, crystals can form in the joints. These uric acid crystals, called monosodium urate (MSU), lead to gout attack symptoms like pain and inflammation.

What causes hyperuricemia? Diets high in alcohol, fruit sugar (fructose), and purine-rich meat (like organ meat and seafood) can contribute to high uric acid levels in the body, but research shows that genetics and obesity tend to be the biggest risk factors.

A gout attack, also known as a gout flare or a gouty arthritis flare, can last from a few hours to a few weeks if left untreated. Symptoms usually come on suddenly, with the most severe pain occurring within the first 24 hours. Joint discomfort can last much longer.

Clinical research has shown that the gout medication colchicine, which is derived from a plant that humans have used to treat joint swelling for over 3,000 years, can help relieve gout pain within 24 to 36 hours. Colchicine can also be used for longer-term management of chronic gouty arthritis.

In addition to colchicine, clinicians often prescribe NSAIDs for gout pain relief.

People who can't take colchicine or NSAIDs may benefit from corticosteroid gout treatment, but this isn't available through Amazon Clinic.

Gout isn't curable, but the monosodium urate crystals that cause gout can dissolve when the body's concentration of uric acid drops below a certain level. You can talk to a trusted healthcare provider like a primary care physician (PCP) about taking preventative gout medicine to lower your urate levels.

The American College of Rheumatology also recommends the following diet and lifestyle guidelines to prevent gout flares:

1. If you're obese, start a weight loss program

2. Limit your consumption of beverages sweetened with high fructose corn syrup, like sodas and fruit juices

3. Limit your consumption of alcohol, especially beer

4. Limit your consumption of purines, which tend to be highest in shellfish and organ meats

Gout often overlaps with other health conditions, particularly high blood pressure (hypertension), chronic kidney disease (CKD), obesity, and cardiovascular disease. Recent research has also shown that there's a higher risk of having a stroke or heart attack in the 120 days after a gout flare.

Your clinician will consider all overlapping health conditions when prescribing gout treatment.