Joint pain, is it gout or arthritis?

[jak2002003]

A few weeks ago I got pain and swelling in a figure joint. Could not bend the finger in the end. Took over a week for swelling to go down and the knuckle was still swollen and hard / painful. Big hard lump on the side of it and skin went red.

 

Same time pain in joint of my big toe. Did not swell up, but Painful if bend it.

 

I still have pain in my toe and finger. Finger is the worst and aches all the time but not stiff or swollen now (still has lump on side of knuckle)

 

I am 43 years old, slim and quite healthy diet and active. Do you gout sufferers think I could have gout? 

 

I am worried it could be arthritis in my finger or gout. 

 

 

[fdsa]

Too young for arthritis, could be just a random inflammation, go visit a doctor.

 

[worgeordie]

Could be Gout in big toe,it's quite common there, its where i used

to get it,very painful, thankfully i have not had it for quite a few

years now,dont know why, you should really go and see a Doctor.

P.S. with Gout whatever joint it is in usually swells up.

regards worgeordie

 

[KarenBravo]

Who are you going to believe?

A random poster that you have never met, or, a doctor?

Follow the advice of the previous posters.

[Pilotman]

same same, treat the same way. Try Diclofenic, 50 mg is 80 baht per 10 tabs at my local pharmacy.  

[lopburi3]

A simple blood test for uric acid should help and will cost next to nothing including doctor visit.  

Quote

A uric acid test can be done as a blood test or a urine test. During a blood test, a health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle. After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial.Jul 31, 2020

 

[Sheryl]

Gout is possible but you need to see a doctor and have a blood test.

 

 

[jak2002003]

Thanks for replies. Seems a bit of a bother to go to a hospital and get blood tests just for one painful knuckle and achy big toe.  I also hate having needles and hospitals !!!  

 

However, if it's not cleared up or if it gets worse in a month o will go and get a blood test.

 

I think arthritis in my finger is possible even in my 40s. That is the thing I really don't want it to be as my hobby is playing piano????. I was most worried about that...as my mother had bad arthritis in her hands and I read it can be genetic. 

[uncleP]

Got can be excruciatingly painful. Uric acid can also cause kidney stones and they are no fun! Don't  be daft and get yourself tested.

[Lacessit]

10 minutes ago, jak2002003 said:

Thanks for replies. Seems a bit of a bother to go to a hospital and get blood tests just for one painful knuckle and achy big toe.  I also hate having needles and hospitals !!!  

 

However, if it's not cleared up or if it gets worse in a month o will go and get a blood test.

 

I think arthritis in my finger is possible even in my 40s. That is the thing I really don't want it to be as my hobby is playing piano????. I was most worried about that...as my mother had bad arthritis in her hands and I read it can be genetic. 

The motto with arthritis is use it or lose it. Gout is a different story, get a blood test. Don't wait for a month.

[1FinickyOne]

I have met serious gout sufferers your age... the big toe is very common... I had a very mild case and a doc visit to check euric acid level and a proper med and it was gone in a couple of days... good luck. 

[how241]

41 minutes ago, jak2002003 said:

Thanks for replies. Seems a bit of a bother to go to a hospital and get blood tests just for one painful knuckle and achy big toe.  I also hate having needles and hospitals !!!  

 

However, if it's not cleared up or if it gets worse in a month o will go and get a blood test.

 

I think arthritis in my finger is possible even in my 40s. That is the thing I really don't want it to be as my hobby is playing piano????. I was most worried about that...as my mother had bad arthritis in her hands and I read it can be genetic. 

Years ago,  I think I had gout in my big toe.  I was give Indocin (Indomethacin),  which quickly cured it.  Other posters have also mentioned some 'gout'  medications,  so you might want to try one and see if that helps.  Of course, seeing a doctor and getting blood test is the right way to go but ....

[tomazbodner]

Sounds like gout, though without checking how much uric acid you have in blood that would be hard to judge from description above.

 

One thing I could recommend you is to change the diet during this time to remove all meats and some vegetables (google up gout diet), give your feet a warm (not too hot) bath and try to move feet in it to stimulate circulation. Drink at least 3-4 litres of water (not mineral one, just plain one) per day, to try to prevent the entire foot to get swollen to the point you would not be able to step on it anymore.

 

Once it's over, get ultrasound of your kidneys to check for any uric acid stones as well.

 

If you have them, uralit-U or Pocitrin (potassium citrate) helps melting them. One medicine that can work on uric acid directly but has some severe side effects unless you have 0.5-1 litre of water with each pill is Bromarone (Benzbromarone). Depending on whether you stick to large amounts of water rule or not it might remove your gout quickly or cause an even more severe problems.

 

All these medicines are not over counter drugs, and you should talk to your doctor about it.

[Lacessit]

8 minutes ago, how241 said:

Years ago,  I think I had gout in my big toe.  I was give Indocin (Indomethacin),  which quickly cured it.  Other posters have also mentioned some 'gout'  medications,  so you might want to try one and see if that helps.  Of course, seeing a doctor and getting blood test is the right way to go but ....

Same same, I could not even bear the bedsheet resting on my big toe. Indocid fixed it in a day, never had gout since.

[Bender Rodriguez]

eat too much organ meats? 

 

Gout  is a disease caused by Uric acid precipitation Which is a substance It is obtained from the degradation of purine, which is abundant in high-protein meats such as poultry. Organ offal, squid, shellfish, crabs or small fish that eat whole bones, such as anchovies, canned sardines.

 

 

there is a THAI herb for sale you "could" try

 

before anyone says quack to a proven THAI herbal medicine HUNDREDS of years old

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=thai+herb+for+gout

 

when people say quack when they have zero knowledge in herbal medicine, TCM, Ayurveda, I say, you are the ignorant QUACK that has been brainwashed by big pharma that everything needs to be CHEMICAL for big profits while originally and for hundreds of years, everything was HERBAL & NATURAL and it is only the patenting of a certain modification of a molecule to sell it 1000x original price for PROFITS and not for the benefit of the people

 

Edited October 3, 2020 by Bender Rodriguez

[lopburi3]

22 minutes ago, Bender Rodriguez said:

while originally and for hundreds of years, everything was HERBAL & NATURAL

And people lived about 30 years.  As with herbs or medications some people have good results and others do not.  Just because it is an Rx does not make it expensive or more suspect.  As for gout the uric acid levels need to be lowered and Allopurinol is cheap and has worked for me over the last 30 years to prevent any recurrence.  As said it is extremely painful for even a sheet to touch toe so not something you want again.

[how241]

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

Same same, I could not even bear the bedsheet resting on my big toe. Indocid fixed it in a day, never had gout since.

I had the same experience.  Indocin quickly fixed the problem and I have never had any gout again. 

[Sheryl]

4 hours ago, jak2002003 said:

Thanks for replies. Seems a bit of a bother to go to a hospital and get blood tests just for one painful knuckle and achy big toe.  I also hate having needles and hospitals !!!  

 

However, if it's not cleared up or if it gets worse in a month o will go and get a blood test.

 

I think arthritis in my finger is possible even in my 40s. That is the thing I really don't want it to be as my hobby is playing piano????. I was most worried about that...as my mother had bad arthritis in her hands and I read it can be genetic. 

 

You could get a uric acid level done at a lab rather than hospital (still involves a needle, but quick, cheap and no hospital). If it comes back normal you can pretty well rule out gout. If it comes back elevated then you'll know and a trip to the doctor is unavoidable at least initially.

[Oldie]

"I am 43 years old, slim and quite healthy diet and active." 

 

So you don't drink much alcohol? 

[mr mr]

7 hours ago, fdsa said:

Too young for arthritis, could be just a random inflammation, go visit a doctor.

 

  maybe not.

 

https://www.verywellhealth.com/age-and-arthritis-189653

 

i am 43 and believe it is starting for me. 6 broken ankles and reconstructive surgery. i live in constant pain and discomfort.

[jak2002003]

43 minutes ago, Oldie said:

"I am 43 years old, slim and quite healthy diet and active." 

 

So you don't drink much alcohol? 

I don't think I drink excessive amounts of alcohol, but not sure what the healthy amount is.

 

The only alcohol I drink is either gin or rum, and I have no more than 6 measures of that per week...each shot well diluted with soda water or tonic. 

 

Maybe that is a lot..or enough for gout? 

 

I also eat vegetarian food most days and never eat red meat like beef etc.  Usually it's seafood or chicken.

 

I don't think I am overweight either at 63 kg. I cycle every day for at least an hour, and swim 2 X a week. 

 

I have never smoked either.

 

I do have a sweet tooth, however, and like a daily slice of cake or similar snack.????

 

 

[bartender100]

If your lucky its gout, which can easily be controlled by taking Allopurinol once a day for the rest of your life as i do

 

There are two main types of arthritis both very different, and can come on from 40yo upwards, not as suggested in an earlier reply, even kids get Arthritis

 

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/arthritis/

 

Forget your fear of needles and get a blood test to find out what you're dealing with

[Why Me]

Gout:

Bad: Incredibly awfully horribly painful. When I had an attack on my big toe years ago and I didn't know what it was and OTC painkillers weren't working I was driven to thinking, hey, what if I just get an amputation, no big deal and problem solved.

Good: Allopurinol 300mg. a day, cheap as chips, and you're "cured forever". Because it brings the wretched uric acid under control. Once the doc put me on it I never had arecurrence.

 

So get your uric acid level checked and pray that it's high:-)

Edited October 4, 2020 by Why Me

[Yellowtail]

13 hours ago, jak2002003 said:

Thanks for replies. Seems a bit of a bother to go to a hospital and get blood tests just for one painful knuckle and achy big toe.  I also hate having needles and hospitals !!!  

 

However, if it's not cleared up or if it gets worse in a month o will go and get a blood test.

 

I think arthritis in my finger is possible even in my 40s. That is the thing I really don't want it to be as my hobby is playing piano????. I was most worried about that...as my mother had bad arthritis in her hands and I read it can be genetic. 

 

If it were gout I doubt visiting a hospital would seem like a bother. Gout HURTS. It hurts even to have a sheet lay on it.

 

I only had one attack and that was ten years ago and after my wife brought home a beautiful bushel of fresh asparagus... 

 

I was prescribed Colchicine 0.6mg three times a day and Celebrex 200mg twice a day for 10 days. I don't have to remember the medicine, I have it in my night stand and take it with me when I travel. That's how bad it hurt.

 

Get your uric checked just in case.

[tomazbodner]

9 hours ago, jak2002003 said:

I don't think I drink excessive amounts of alcohol, but not sure what the healthy amount is.

 

The only alcohol I drink is either gin or rum, and I have no more than 6 measures of that per week...each shot well diluted with soda water or tonic. 

 

Maybe that is a lot..or enough for gout? 

 

I also eat vegetarian food most days and never eat red meat like beef etc.  Usually it's seafood or chicken.

 

I don't think I am overweight either at 63 kg. I cycle every day for at least an hour, and swim 2 X a week. 

 

I have never smoked either.

 

I do have a sweet tooth, however, and like a daily slice of cake or similar snack.????

 

 

Seafood (and depending on quantity, chicken) could be contributor.

For pain and inflammation relief try Nurofen Zavance (caplets) 3x a day after meal.

[stouricks]

17 hours ago, Pilotman said:

same same, treat the same way. Try Diclofenic, 50 mg is 80 baht per 10 tabs at my local pharmacy.  

Colcachine works too, two tablets every two hours until you feel sick, get the runs, and in a few hours or so it's gone. Back to the red wine!

[Bender Rodriguez]

14 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

And people lived about 30 years. 

this fake theory of 3O years can be tested with cemetery in UK where people lived to 70-80

 

there was more death at childbirth before, but that can be explained because MD's did not want to wash their hands after dissecting a CORPSE and then going to deliver a baby

 

till one MD asked others to wash their hands between patients, the classic DISCREDIT happened and only 80 years LATER and many thousands of dead babies, they saw the light that an MD should wash his/her hands in between patients...

 

the doctor that asked to wash hands in between patients

 

The year was 1846, and our would-be hero was a Hungarian doctor named Ignaz Semmelweis. Semmelweis was a man of his time, according to Justin Lessler, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.

 

 

[Pungdo]

18 hours ago, fdsa said:

Too young for arthritis,

Never too young to get Arthritis, I was diagnosed with Arthritis in my knees when I was 15, I laughed at the doctor and suggested it was an old mans disease, he informed me that babies can have Arthritis.

[Yellowtail]

32 minutes ago, Bender Rodriguez said:

this fake theory of 3O years can be tested with cemetery in UK where people lived to 70-80

 

there was more death at childbirth before, but that can be explained because MD's did not want to wash their hands after dissecting a CORPSE and then going to deliver a baby

 

till one MD asked others to wash their hands between patients, the classic DISCREDIT happened and only 80 years LATER and many thousands of dead babies, they saw the light that an MD should wash his/her hands in between patients...

 

the doctor that asked to wash hands in between patients

 

The year was 1846, and our would-be hero was a Hungarian doctor named Ignaz Semmelweis. Semmelweis was a man of his time, according to Justin Lessler, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.

 

 

 

Yes, and people died of any number of things including broken bones, infections, heart disease, diarrhea, colds, flue, food poisoning, malnutrition and any number of other things, but that fact is, life expectancy was much shorter. Yes, people that were very healthy and exceptionally lucky lived long lives, just like today, but today many people that aren't very healthy and aren't lucky get to live long lives as well. 

 

[Pedrogaz]

I never met anyone with gout until I came to Thailand....now I hear it all the time, even in young people. Fortunately colchicine is a cheap and effective cure for an episode....but it has many side-effects and a number of drug-drug interactions with a wide range of frequently used medications. Go see your doctor.