Free printable
Flare tracker
A one-page log to print and fill in by hand. It is a record for you and your clinician, not a diagnosis.
Last reviewed
How to use it
Print this page, or download the PDF version. Fill in a row for each flare and bring it to your next visit. There is no space for doses or lab targets; those belong with your clinician. Why each item helps is on Living with gout. Bring the one-page questions sheet too. También en español: registro de ataques.
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The log
Gout flare log Name: ______________________
Get urgent care for a hot, swollen joint with fever, if you cannot bear weight, or if it is unlike your usual flares. Educational only; not medical advice.
| Date | Joint(s) | How it started | What came before (food, drink, illness, new medicine) | What helped | Contacted clinician (when) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Notes and questions for my next visit
goutresource.com/flare-tracker.html
What to note, and why it helps
Which joint, and how it started. NIAMS says flares often begin suddenly, often at night, and often in the big toe or another lower-limb joint, though other joints can be affected. Writing down the joint and the time it started gives your clinician a clearer pattern than memory alone.
What came before. NIAMS says flares can be triggered by certain foods, alcohol, certain medicines, physical trauma, or certain illnesses. The NHS adds getting dehydrated and eating a very large meal. A note here is a clue to discuss, not proof of a cause.
How long it lasted. NIAMS and MedlinePlus describe flares that typically get better within a week or two. If a flare lasts longer than your usual ones, or flares come more often, that is worth raising, because NIAMS notes untreated flares may come more often and last longer.
What helped, and who you contacted. Include comfort measures such as rest, ice, and elevation, which NIAMS describes, and any medicine a clinician already prescribed for flares. Do not use the log to change or stop a medicine on your own.
Related: During a flare, Causes and triggers, and Questions to ask.
Clinical claims on this page follow the sources.