Best treatments for gout
18 products may treat gout, spanning FDA drug classes such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, alkaloid, xanthine oxidase inhibitor. The current highest-rated option is advil. Ranked below by our independent recall-safety rating (rated where FDA data exists) — not medical advice; always consult a professional.
Quick answer: Of the 18 drugs we list for gout, 17 are available as lower-cost generics, spanning classes such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, alkaloid, xanthine oxidase inhibitor. They’re ranked by each drug’s FDA recall-safety record — not clinical effectiveness for gout — so confirm the right choice with your prescriber.
Understanding gout
Gout is a common type of inflammatory arthritis. It happens when too much uric acid (urate) builds up in the body over a long time, either because the body makes too much or does not remove enough. When urate levels stay high, needle-shaped crystals can form in and around a joint and trigger sudden, intense pain, swelling, redness, and warmth. Gout flares often start suddenly at night and may be bad enough to wake a person up. The big toe is a common site, but gout can also affect other toes, the ankle, and the knee. Flares usually get better within a week or two, and between flares there are often no symptoms. If gout is not treated over time, hard urate deposits called tophi can form under the skin. Doctors diagnose gout using medical history, a physical exam, and tests that may include examining fluid from a painful joint for uric acid crystals, blood and urine tests, and imaging such as ultrasound or CT. According to NIAMS, with early diagnosis, treatment, and lifestyle changes, gout is one of the most controllable forms of arthritis. This is general information, not medical advice.
First-line treatment
For a sudden gout flare, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2020 guideline strongly recommends oral colchicine, an NSAID, or a glucocorticoid (given by mouth, into the joint, or by injection) as appropriate first-line options, with the choice based on individual patient factors and preferences; when colchicine is chosen, low-dose is strongly preferred over high-dose because of similar effectiveness and fewer side effects. For longer-term control, the ACR strongly recommends allopurinol as the preferred first-line urate-lowering therapy for all patients, including those with moderate-to-severe kidney disease (CKD stage 3 or higher), started at a low dose and titrated to a target. Urate-lowering therapy is strongly recommended for people with one or more tophi, gout-related joint damage on imaging, or frequent flares (two or more per year), aiming to achieve and maintain a serum urate level below 6 mg/dL. A clinician individualizes treatment.
Top-rated picks for gout: 1. Advil · 2. Junior Strength Advil · 3. Mitigare
| # | Drug | Rating | Type | Form | Class | Generic? | Pharmacy pays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 72/100 | Over-the-counter | Tablet | Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug | Generic | $0 | View → | |
| 2 | 72/100 | Over-the-counter | Tablet | Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug | Generic | $0 | View → | |
| 3 | 72/100 | Prescription | Capsule | Alkaloid | Generic | $4 | View → | |
| 4 | 70/100 | Over-the-counter | Capsule | Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug | Generic | $0 | View → | |
| 5 | 70/100 | Over-the-counter | Capsule | Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug | Generic | $0 | View → | |
| 6 | 70/100 | Over-the-counter | Capsule | Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug | Generic | $0 | View → | |
| 7 | 70/100 | Over-the-counter | Capsule | Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug | Generic | $0 | View → | |
| 8 | 70/100 | Prescription | Tablet | Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug | Generic | $0 | View → | |
| 9 | 70/100 | Prescription | Tablet | Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug | Generic | $0 | View → | |
| 10 | 64/100 | Prescription | Injectable | Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitor | Generic | $2 | View → |
Narrow by drug class
Explore the class hubs: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug · alkaloid · xanthine oxidase inhibitor
Full ranking · 18 treatments
advil
Over-the-counterFDA-sourced
Advil (Ibuprofen) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug used to treat Juvenile Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Bursitis, Dysmenorrhea.
Pharmacy pays
From ~$0.03· 7 formsjunior strength advil
Over-the-counterFDA-sourced
Junior Strength Advil (Ibuprofen) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug used to treat Juvenile Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Bursitis, Dysmenorrhea.
Pharmacy pays
From ~$0.03· 7 formsmitigare
PrescriptionFDA-sourced
Mitigare (Colchicine) is an alkaloid used to treat Amyloidosis, Gout, Biliary Liver Cirrhosis, Familial Mediterranean Fever.
Pharmacy pays
From ~$3.85/30· 2 formsadvil liqui-gels
Over-the-counterFDA-sourced
Advil Liqui-Gels (Ibuprofen) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug used to treat Juvenile Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Bursitis, Dysmenorrhea.
Pharmacy pays
From ~$0.03· 7 formsadvil migraine liqui-gels
Over-the-counterFDA-sourced
Advil Migraine Liqui-Gels (Ibuprofen) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug used to treat Juvenile Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Bursitis, Dysmenorrhea.
Pharmacy pays
From ~$0.03· 7 formsmidol liquid gels
Over-the-counterFDA-sourced
Midol Liquid Gels (Ibuprofen) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug used to treat Juvenile Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Bursitis, Dysmenorrhea.
Pharmacy pays
From ~$0.03· 7 forms- Motrin Ib
- Motrin Migraine Pain
- Nuprin
- Aloprim
- Caldolor
- Colcrys
- Gloperba
- Lodoco
- Neoprofen
- Uloric
- Vazalore
- Zyloprim
Frequently asked
- What treats gout?
- Our catalog lists 18 products that may treat gout, based on NIH RxClass (MED-RT “may treat”) drug-classification data — not the verbatim FDA label. They're rated where FDA recall-safety data exists; the current top-rated option is advil.
- What is the best-rated treatment for gout?
- By our independent recall-safety rating — not an efficacy measure — advil ranks highest among the products we list for gout. Always consult a professional.
- How are these treatments ranked?
- By our independent score, currently based on FDA regulatory recall-safety data (the methodology blends additional sources as they come online). See the How we rate page.
- What types of drugs treat gout?
- Treatments for gout span FDA drug classes including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, alkaloid, xanthine oxidase inhibitor, platelet aggregation inhibitor. Compare every option side by side, ranked by independent rating, above.
Treatment associations are derived from NIH RxClass (MED-RT “may treat”) drug-classification data — not the verbatim FDA label. This is general reference, not medical advice — always consult a licensed professional.
Sources
The clinical overview above is written from these authoritative public-health and medical-society sources, independently reviewed against each.