Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesHow It FeelsHow to TellTreatmentComplications and Risks
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
How It Feels
How to Tell
Treatment
Complications and Risks
Goutis inflammatory arthritis that causes severe pain. While it most commonly affects the big toe, it can also affect other joints, including the elbow. Gout develops fromhyperuricemia—high urate levels in the body—which causes sharp crystals to build up in the joint.Medications and lifestyle changes can help reduce symptoms of gout in the elbow.
This article discusses gout in the elbow, including symptoms, diagnosis, treatment options, and potential complications.
RealPeopleGroup / Getty Images
Why Gout Causes Elbow Pain
Gout causes severe pain when crystals build up in the joint. These microscopic structures are similar to sand and make the smooth surfaces of the joint rough.As you bend and straighten your elbow, these crystals irritate the joint surfaces as they rub together, leading to inflammation and pain.
Not all people with high urate levels will develop gout, and other risk factors can make it more likely to occur. People assigned male at birth—especially those between ages 30 and 45—and those assigned female at birth who are between ages 55 and 70 are at an increased risk. People with conditions that increase cell turnover, such as psoriasis or active chemotherapy treatment, are also at a higher risk. Additional risk factors include:
How Does Elbow Gout Feel?
Elbow gout causes severe pain in the joint and often starts in the middle of the night. Other symptoms can include:
Gout symptoms can last days or weeks. Typically, they resolve within two weeks, even without treatment.
How to Tell If You Have Elbow Gout
They may use additional tests to confirm a diagnosis. These can include:
Your primary care provider may refer you to an arthritis specialist, such as arheumatologist.
Where Gout AttacksThe first gout attack typically affects the big toe.However, gout can affect any joint, including the fingers, hips, knees, shoulders, and elbows.
Where Gout Attacks
The first gout attack typically affects the big toe.However, gout can affect any joint, including the fingers, hips, knees, shoulders, and elbows.
Treatment to Manage Elbow Gout
Treatment for elbow gout includes a combination of medications, as well as dietary and lifestyle changes. Additional medications and home remedies help treat elbow pain during a gout flare-up.
During an Elbow Gout Flare
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs) are the primary treatment for an elbow gout flare. Over-the-counter NSAIDs typically include Motrin or Advil (ibuprofen) and Aleve (naproxen). However, NSAIDs aren’t right for everyone. If you have heart or kidney disease or a history of gastrointestinal bleeding, ask your provider about other options.
If these medications are ineffective, your healthcare provider might prescribe Colcrys (colchicine) or corticosteroids.Due to their potentially harmful side effects, healthcare providers prescribe these medications for short-term use only.
Home remedies may help reduce severe elbow pain during a flare-up. These include:
Between Elbow Gout Flares
Some people report that eating cherries, drinking cherry juice, taking vitamin C andcertain herbshelp reduce uric acid levels in the body, reducing the risk of gout flares.However, more research is needed to confirm these claims.
Dietary changescan also help reduce the risk of gout flare-ups and help you maintain a healthy weight.
Avoid foods and drinks that are high in purines, such as:
Other meats also contain a moderate amount of purine.
What Is a Purine?Purines are compounds made in the body and found in various foods. They are important for cells to function properly. When broken down, purines create urate, which, in high amounts, can lead to gout in some people.
What Is a Purine?
Purines are compounds made in the body and found in various foods. They are important for cells to function properly. When broken down, purines create urate, which, in high amounts, can lead to gout in some people.
If your gout is left untreated or your condition is poorly managed, you could end up with joint-related complications, such as:
Untreated gout can also affect other parts of the body, causing additional complications, including:
When to Check With a Healthcare Provider
If your gout symptoms worsen, discuss your treatment options with a healthcare provider. If you develop a fever during a gout flare in the elbow, seek medical attention. Worsening symptoms can be a sign of a joint infection.
Summary
Gout is an inflammatory arthritis commonly affecting joints, including the elbow. Anti-inflammatory medications and home remedies can treat elbow gout flares. Maintenance medications and lifestyle modifications, such as a low-purine diet, can also reduce flares.
Left untreated, gout in the elbow can lead to permanent joint damage and tophi—painful bumps where uric acid crystals have built up around the joint. Taking your medications as prescribed and regularly following up with your healthcare provider can help reduce your risk of gout flare-ups in the elbow.
11 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Instititue of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Gout.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Gout.Arthritis Foundation.Which foods are safe for gout?JAMA.What is gout?National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Gout: Diagnosis, treatment, and steps to take.Arthritis Foundation.Gout.Guillen Astete C, Boteanu A, Zea.ASAT0502 Comparison between oral or intra-articular corticoids in the management of acute gout flare in patients with chronic renal failure.Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.2014;73:774.Chen PE, Liu CY, Chien WH, Chien CW, Tung TH.Effectiveness of cherries in reducing uric acid and gout: a systematic review.Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2019;2019:e9896757. doi:10.1155/2019/9896757National Institutes of Health.Vitamin C may reduce risk of gout.Huang Z, Xie N, Illes P, et al.From purines to purinergic signalling: molecular functions and human diseases.Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2021;6:162. doi:10.1038%2Fs41392-021-00553-zAmerican Kidney Fund.Complications of gout.
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Instititue of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Gout.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Gout.Arthritis Foundation.Which foods are safe for gout?JAMA.What is gout?National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Gout: Diagnosis, treatment, and steps to take.Arthritis Foundation.Gout.Guillen Astete C, Boteanu A, Zea.ASAT0502 Comparison between oral or intra-articular corticoids in the management of acute gout flare in patients with chronic renal failure.Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.2014;73:774.Chen PE, Liu CY, Chien WH, Chien CW, Tung TH.Effectiveness of cherries in reducing uric acid and gout: a systematic review.Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2019;2019:e9896757. doi:10.1155/2019/9896757National Institutes of Health.Vitamin C may reduce risk of gout.Huang Z, Xie N, Illes P, et al.From purines to purinergic signalling: molecular functions and human diseases.Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2021;6:162. doi:10.1038%2Fs41392-021-00553-zAmerican Kidney Fund.Complications of gout.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Instititue of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Gout.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Gout.Arthritis Foundation.Which foods are safe for gout?JAMA.What is gout?National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Gout: Diagnosis, treatment, and steps to take.Arthritis Foundation.Gout.Guillen Astete C, Boteanu A, Zea.ASAT0502 Comparison between oral or intra-articular corticoids in the management of acute gout flare in patients with chronic renal failure.Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.2014;73:774.Chen PE, Liu CY, Chien WH, Chien CW, Tung TH.Effectiveness of cherries in reducing uric acid and gout: a systematic review.Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2019;2019:e9896757. doi:10.1155/2019/9896757National Institutes of Health.Vitamin C may reduce risk of gout.Huang Z, Xie N, Illes P, et al.From purines to purinergic signalling: molecular functions and human diseases.Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2021;6:162. doi:10.1038%2Fs41392-021-00553-zAmerican Kidney Fund.Complications of gout.
National Instititue of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Gout.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Gout.
Arthritis Foundation.Which foods are safe for gout?
JAMA.What is gout?
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Gout: Diagnosis, treatment, and steps to take.
Arthritis Foundation.Gout.
Guillen Astete C, Boteanu A, Zea.ASAT0502 Comparison between oral or intra-articular corticoids in the management of acute gout flare in patients with chronic renal failure.Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.2014;73:774.
Chen PE, Liu CY, Chien WH, Chien CW, Tung TH.Effectiveness of cherries in reducing uric acid and gout: a systematic review.Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2019;2019:e9896757. doi:10.1155/2019/9896757
National Institutes of Health.Vitamin C may reduce risk of gout.
Huang Z, Xie N, Illes P, et al.From purines to purinergic signalling: molecular functions and human diseases.Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2021;6:162. doi:10.1038%2Fs41392-021-00553-z
American Kidney Fund.Complications of gout.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
