Gout cannot be cured. But, the symptoms of gout can be controlled through treatment. The goals of gout treatment are:

  • Managing symptoms
  • Preventing complications
  • Trying to decrease the risk of recurrence

Treatment may involve the following:

Lifestyle changesMedicationsAlternative and complementary therapiesOther treatments

Revision Information

  • American Academy of Family Physicians website. Available at: http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home.html .

  • American College of Rheumatology website. Available at: http://www.rheumatology.org/ .

  • National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases website. Available at: http://www.niams.nih.gov/ .

  • The Merck Manual of Medical Information. 17th ed. Simon and Schuster, Inc; 2000.