Pain in your big toe can have several different causes. One of the most common is a disruptive and uncomfortable condition called gout.
When gout is caught early, podiatrists Thomas Rambacher, DPM, FACFAS, FAPWCA, and Amber O’Connor, DPM, located at Podiatry Hotline Foot & Ankle in Mission Viejo, California, have the best opportunity to relieve pain and discomfort from this chronic condition and improve your quality of life. Learn about the most common early symptoms that may occur when you develop gout.
Gout is a form of arthritis that occurs when uric acid builds up in the body, causing crystals to form in affected areas. You can develop gout in any joint, but it most commonly affects the big toe.
Gout attacks tend to come on suddenly and cause extraordinary pain and discomfort that can interfere with your life. Attacks can be more or less frequent depending on the severity of your condition and how well it’s controlled.
Gout is a chronic condition that can’t be cured, but when it’s well controlled, the painful attacks can occur rarely or even stop completely.
Your first gout attack is often the earliest sign of gout. When you experience symptoms of a gout flare-up, let us know right away so we can diagnose you and develop a treatment plan to reduce your likelihood of future attacks.
The most common signs of an early gout attack occur in the big toe and include:
The pain levels in your toe tend to be sharp and excruciating, and come on quickly. The severe pain is localized to the toe region and gets better when the attack ends.
Swelling in the big toe and areas nearby often presents alongside pain. It can be hard to bend the toe joint and be mobile during a flare-up.
Your big toe often turns red, especially right at the big toe joint. You can also experience other discoloration in the area.
You can expect your big toe to be more sensitive to the touch during an attack. You might even have trouble sleeping under a sheet or wearing socks.
Gout flare-ups typically occur suddenly and often have minimal warning signs. They can last for several hours.
You can get an attack at any time, but they’re most common during the nighttime. Gout flare-ups can be very disruptive to getting a good night’s sleep.
After a flare-up finishes, you can feel a lingering ache in your big toe and experience peeling and itchy skin. This typically resolves within days, but as gout becomes more severe, lingering symptoms can persist for weeks.
Our team can treat gout at any time, but early intervention can save you years of pain and prevent the development of more advanced symptoms, such as limited movement in your big toe joint, and ensure that gout is the cause of your symptoms. After diagnosis, we develop a treatment plan that often includes:
We also ensure that any secondary problems caused by gout, such as calluses, are treated as well.
Knowing the warning signs of gout ensures you get treatment quickly and stop the painful attacks that keep you up at night. If gout is getting you down, contact us for solutions.
