What is probenecid used to treat?

Probenecid is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat a condition called gout, in which a substance called uric acid builds up in the blood. When the extra uric acid collects in the fluid that cushions your joints (the synovial fluid), crystals of uric acid form. When the uric acid crystals lead to inflammation around the joint, it is called gouty arthritis. Symptoms of gouty arthritis, as in other forms of arthritis, include joint swelling, redness and warmth. The affected joint could become so painful that even placing a sheet over it hurts. An episode of gout is sometimes called a “gouty attack.” If you have had a gouty attack, you could go months or even years without another one. Many people will eventually have another gouty attack after they have had their first one, though some people only have one episode. Probenecid is used to prevent these attacks if you have chronic, or long-term gout. It cannot treat the pain of a gouty attack once it begins.