--- title: "What you can do next" canonical_url: https://www.gout-life.com/tools/what-you-can-do/ updated: 2026-10-29 medical_review: pending --- # What you can do next > General educational information, not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Start with the situation you are in: new symptoms, a familiar flare with a prescribed plan, or questions about longer-term control. If infection, severe illness, or a serious medicine reaction is possible, urgent care takes priority over routine self-care. [S03] [S05] [S09] ## If this is new or uncertain Arrange assessment. Rest and protect the joint, and consider a cold pack wrapped in cloth for comfort. Avoid dehydration while respecting any fluid restriction. Write down the onset, affected joints, symptoms, recent illness or procedures, and medicines. Do not substitute a new prescription, an unreviewed NSAID, or a home remedy for diagnosis. [S03] [S08] Seek urgent help for fever, feeling unwell, or worsening symptoms, and emergency care for severe illness or rapid deterioration. Infection can also occur without fever. [S03] [S05] [S08] ## If you have a prescribed flare plan Use it exactly as directed. Contact your care team if the episode differs from your usual pattern, worsens, or does not respond. Do not calculate extra colchicine doses or add medicine combinations yourself. [S08] [S10] An ordinary flare usually does not require stopping existing allopurinol. A new rash or suspected hypersensitivity means stopping it and seeking prompt medical advice; severe reaction symptoms need emergency assessment. [S09] ## If you are thinking beyond the next flare Bring a record of attacks, urate results with units, side effects, and access difficulties to a review. Ask about long-term treatment, the target, dose adjustment, and early-flare prevention. Choose food and activity changes that are manageable rather than treating a food table as a personalized safe diet. [S02] [S03] [S15] Natural remedies need their own evidence and safety check. Take the label to your pharmacist or clinician. [S20] ## Related pages - [Could this be gout? Symptom assessment](https://www.gout-life.com/tools/could-this-be-gout/) - [Home care and pain support](https://www.gout-life.com/flares/home-care-and-pain-support/) - [Preparing a personal flare plan](https://www.gout-life.com/flares/personal-flare-plan/) - [Appointments, treatment access and your care team](https://www.gout-life.com/living/appointments-cost-and-care-team/) ## Sources - [S02: 2020 American College of Rheumatology Guideline for the Management of Gout](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10563586/) - [S03: NICE NG219: Gout, diagnosis and management, recommendations](https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng219/chapter/Recommendations) - [S05: 2023 EULAR recommendations on imaging in crystal-induced arthropathies](https://doi.org/10.1136/ard-2023-224771) - [S08: NHS: Gout](https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/gout/) - [S09: DailyMed: Allopurinol tablets prescribing information](https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/fda/fdaDrugXsl.cfm?setid=e11e94b9-d897-48ce-9a80-aa6b8b5fde02&type=display) - [S10: DailyMed: Colchicine tablets prescribing information](https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/fda/fdaDrugXsl.cfm?setid=df1dd89a-a1b3-48e8-b0e8-ad71b4cb0c96&type=display) - [S15: NICE Evidence Review I: Diet and lifestyle modifications for gout](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK590600/) - [S20: NCCIH: Using dietary supplements wisely](https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/using-dietary-supplements-wisely) [S02]: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10563586/ "2020 American College of Rheumatology Guideline for the Management of Gout" [S03]: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng219/chapter/Recommendations "NICE NG219: Gout, diagnosis and management, recommendations" [S05]: https://doi.org/10.1136/ard-2023-224771 "2023 EULAR recommendations on imaging in crystal-induced arthropathies" [S08]: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/gout/ "NHS: Gout" [S09]: https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/fda/fdaDrugXsl.cfm?setid=e11e94b9-d897-48ce-9a80-aa6b8b5fde02&type=display "DailyMed: Allopurinol tablets prescribing information" [S10]: https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/fda/fdaDrugXsl.cfm?setid=df1dd89a-a1b3-48e8-b0e8-ad71b4cb0c96&type=display "DailyMed: Colchicine tablets prescribing information" [S15]: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK590600/ "NICE Evidence Review I: Diet and lifestyle modifications for gout" [S20]: https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/using-dietary-supplements-wisely "NCCIH: Using dietary supplements wisely" ## Educational scope Gout Life provides general educational information, not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Talk with a qualified healthcare professional about symptoms, medicines, and treatment decisions. Do not delay medical care because of information on this site. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your local emergency number.