It sucks. I get acute onsets in my right big toe, and sometimes in my left big toe as well.
If it's in your toe, see a Podiatrist and have him/her prescribe Colchicine. It can alleviate the pain and swelling rapidly.
When I'm out, I take multiple Aleve or 800mg of Ibuprofin to help with the pain and inflammation. I repeat every 3-4 hours for a day or two.
Do you know what the triggers are? Finding them and avoiding certain foods helped me immensely. If you're not sure, what did you last eat and drink in the past day or two?