Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTreatmentPreventing Flare-UpsWhen to See a ProviderFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Treatment
Preventing Flare-Ups
When to See a Provider
Frequently Asked Questions
Goutis a painful type ofinflammatory arthritis. It often affects the big toe, but gout can develop in any joint, including the ankle.
High uric acid levels in the body cause gout. The excess uric acid buildup will cause urate crystals to form. These crystals make their way into thesynovial linings of jointsleading to swelling, pain, and tenderness of the affected joint.
Fortunately, gout is treatable with medications, lifestyle changes, and at-home remedies to control pain and inflammation and prevent gout attacks. This article covers ankle gout treatment, and preventing flare-ups, as well as when to see a healthcare provider.
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Symptoms of Gout in the Ankle
Healthcare providers can sometimes misdiagnose gout in the ankle as a variety of conditions, from asprained ankleto other types of inflammatory arthritis likerheumatoid arthritis. Some symptoms might distinguish gout from other ankle conditions.These include:
People who experience gout in the ankle find it can affect joint movement. It makes walking painful, especially when going up and down stairs.
Ankle Gout Treatment
If you have not been previously diagnosed with gout and start to experience severe ankle pain and swelling, it might be a good idea to visit a healthcare provider while you are having symptoms. It is sometimes easier to diagnose gout in the middle of agout attack(also called a flare-up). Gout is a type of arthritis that flares and subsides.
The most common symptoms of a gout attack are intense joint pain and swelling that often starts in the middle of the night. A gout attack generally gets worse during the first 12 to 24 hours. It will slowly resolve soon after, but full recovery can take up to 14 days.
There is no cure for gout, but a combination of at-home remedies, medications, and lifestyle habits can help you to manage ankle pain and reduce the frequency and severity of gout attacks.
Home Remedies
Some at-home remedies you can try to help manage the pain and swelling of a gout flare in your ankle. These include:
Medications
A healthcare provider can prescribe medications to reduce pain and swelling from an ankle gout flare.Medicines used to treat gout include:
How Gout Is Treated
Lifestyle Habits
The following lifestyle strategies may help to reduce pain and other symptoms of a gout flare in the ankle:
What Foods Should You Avoid With Gout?
The main goals of treating gout are to prevent flares and reduce the potential for joint damage. Even if your healthcare provider has prescribed medications to lower uric acid levels, you should also make lifestyle changes, such as the following, to reduce the frequency of gout attacks:
How to Prevent Gout
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Many people go months and sometimes years between gout attacks.If you are someone who has two or more flares per year, talk to a healthcare provider about making changes to your treatment plan. Having frequent flares is not normal and can lead to joint damage.
A healthcare provider can prescribe medication to reduce uric acid production or medication that reduces pain and swelling should you experience a flare-up. If you have two or more flares per year, you may be prescribed daily medication for gout. The first line is Zyloprim (allopurinol), which is often a lifelong medication.
Reach out to a healthcare provider during a gout flare. They can prescribe medication to reduce the pain and swelling or give you a corticosteroid shot to reduce inflammation faster.
Summary
Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis that frequently affects the big toe, but any joint can be affected, including the ankle. Gout causes flares of pain, swelling, and tenderness of an affected joint. When gout affects the ankle, it makes walking, going up and down steps, and other ankle movements difficult and painful.
While there is no cure for gout, medication, at-home remedies, and lifestyle remedies can help you manage flare symptoms and reduce the frequency of gout attacks. If you experience frequent flares, a healthcare provider can make changes to your treatment plan that might help.
A Word From Verywell
A gout flare-up might last for days or weeks, and most people with the condition will experience several flares a year. This means that gout is a chronic condition and requires ongoing management.
If you have not already done so, consider seeing a rheumatologist (a physician who diagnoses and treats conditions of the bones, joints, muscles, and immune system). They can offer you more advice on how to manage gout and prevent flare-ups.
It will take time to find the right combination of medicine and lifestyle changes to get uric levels under control and reduce the frequency of gout attacks.
Frequently Asked QuestionsDuring a gout attack of the ankle, it is best to rest the joint to reduce pain and swelling. You might consider using a cane to keep pressure off the affected ankle.A gout attack in any joint reaches its peak within 12 to 24 hours of onset. It will slowly resolve after that. Full recovery from a gout flare can take up to 14 days.Gout pain in the ankle can be severe. The affected ankle is stiff, red, tender, and swollen. Gout in the ankle affects joint movement and makes walking painful, especially when going up and down stairs.
During a gout attack of the ankle, it is best to rest the joint to reduce pain and swelling. You might consider using a cane to keep pressure off the affected ankle.
A gout attack in any joint reaches its peak within 12 to 24 hours of onset. It will slowly resolve after that. Full recovery from a gout flare can take up to 14 days.
Gout pain in the ankle can be severe. The affected ankle is stiff, red, tender, and swollen. Gout in the ankle affects joint movement and makes walking painful, especially when going up and down stairs.
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.Bernal JA, García-Campos J, Marco-LLedó J, Andrés M.Gouty involvement of foot and ankle: Beyond flares.Reumatol Clin(Engl Ed). 2021;17(2):106-112. doi:10.1016/j.reuma.2019.12.003Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center.Symptoms and diagnosis of gout.Arthritis Foundation.Managing a gout flare.Stamp L, Farquhar H, Pisaniello HL, et al.Management of gout in chronic kidney disease: A G-CAN consensus statement on the research priorities.Nature Rev Rheumatol. 2021;17(1):633-641. doi:10.1038/s41584-021-00657-4MedlinePlus.Colchicine.MedlinePlus.Allopurinol.Kydd AS, Seth R, Buchbinder R, Edwards CJ, Bombardier C.Uricosuric medications for chronic gout.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014 Nov 14;(11):CD010457. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD010457.pub2. PMID: 25392987.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Gout.Dasgupta E, Chong ZP, Ting MN, et al.Relationship of medication adherence, serum uric acid level and diet to recurrent attacks of gout.The Egyptian Rheumatologist. 2022;44(1):69-73. doi:10.1016/j.ejr.2021.08.010Kakutani-Hatayama M, Kadoya M, Okazaki H, et al.Nonpharmacological management of gout and hyperuricemia: Hints for better lifestyle.Am J Lifestyle Med. 2015;11(4):321-329. doi:10.1177/1559827615601973University of Missouri System.How to calculate how much water you should drink.
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.Bernal JA, García-Campos J, Marco-LLedó J, Andrés M.Gouty involvement of foot and ankle: Beyond flares.Reumatol Clin(Engl Ed). 2021;17(2):106-112. doi:10.1016/j.reuma.2019.12.003Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center.Symptoms and diagnosis of gout.Arthritis Foundation.Managing a gout flare.Stamp L, Farquhar H, Pisaniello HL, et al.Management of gout in chronic kidney disease: A G-CAN consensus statement on the research priorities.Nature Rev Rheumatol. 2021;17(1):633-641. doi:10.1038/s41584-021-00657-4MedlinePlus.Colchicine.MedlinePlus.Allopurinol.Kydd AS, Seth R, Buchbinder R, Edwards CJ, Bombardier C.Uricosuric medications for chronic gout.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014 Nov 14;(11):CD010457. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD010457.pub2. PMID: 25392987.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Gout.Dasgupta E, Chong ZP, Ting MN, et al.Relationship of medication adherence, serum uric acid level and diet to recurrent attacks of gout.The Egyptian Rheumatologist. 2022;44(1):69-73. doi:10.1016/j.ejr.2021.08.010Kakutani-Hatayama M, Kadoya M, Okazaki H, et al.Nonpharmacological management of gout and hyperuricemia: Hints for better lifestyle.Am J Lifestyle Med. 2015;11(4):321-329. doi:10.1177/1559827615601973University of Missouri System.How to calculate how much water you should drink.
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.
Bernal JA, García-Campos J, Marco-LLedó J, Andrés M.Gouty involvement of foot and ankle: Beyond flares.Reumatol Clin(Engl Ed). 2021;17(2):106-112. doi:10.1016/j.reuma.2019.12.003Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center.Symptoms and diagnosis of gout.Arthritis Foundation.Managing a gout flare.Stamp L, Farquhar H, Pisaniello HL, et al.Management of gout in chronic kidney disease: A G-CAN consensus statement on the research priorities.Nature Rev Rheumatol. 2021;17(1):633-641. doi:10.1038/s41584-021-00657-4MedlinePlus.Colchicine.MedlinePlus.Allopurinol.Kydd AS, Seth R, Buchbinder R, Edwards CJ, Bombardier C.Uricosuric medications for chronic gout.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014 Nov 14;(11):CD010457. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD010457.pub2. PMID: 25392987.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Gout.Dasgupta E, Chong ZP, Ting MN, et al.Relationship of medication adherence, serum uric acid level and diet to recurrent attacks of gout.The Egyptian Rheumatologist. 2022;44(1):69-73. doi:10.1016/j.ejr.2021.08.010Kakutani-Hatayama M, Kadoya M, Okazaki H, et al.Nonpharmacological management of gout and hyperuricemia: Hints for better lifestyle.Am J Lifestyle Med. 2015;11(4):321-329. doi:10.1177/1559827615601973University of Missouri System.How to calculate how much water you should drink.
Bernal JA, García-Campos J, Marco-LLedó J, Andrés M.Gouty involvement of foot and ankle: Beyond flares.Reumatol Clin(Engl Ed). 2021;17(2):106-112. doi:10.1016/j.reuma.2019.12.003
Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center.Symptoms and diagnosis of gout.
Arthritis Foundation.Managing a gout flare.
Stamp L, Farquhar H, Pisaniello HL, et al.Management of gout in chronic kidney disease: A G-CAN consensus statement on the research priorities.Nature Rev Rheumatol. 2021;17(1):633-641. doi:10.1038/s41584-021-00657-4
MedlinePlus.Colchicine.
MedlinePlus.Allopurinol.
Kydd AS, Seth R, Buchbinder R, Edwards CJ, Bombardier C.Uricosuric medications for chronic gout.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014 Nov 14;(11):CD010457. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD010457.pub2. PMID: 25392987.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Gout.
Dasgupta E, Chong ZP, Ting MN, et al.Relationship of medication adherence, serum uric acid level and diet to recurrent attacks of gout.The Egyptian Rheumatologist. 2022;44(1):69-73. doi:10.1016/j.ejr.2021.08.010
Kakutani-Hatayama M, Kadoya M, Okazaki H, et al.Nonpharmacological management of gout and hyperuricemia: Hints for better lifestyle.Am J Lifestyle Med. 2015;11(4):321-329. doi:10.1177/1559827615601973
University of Missouri System.How to calculate how much water you should drink.
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