have i got gout?

[cazzrob]

for the last couple of days i hav been experiencing pain under my big toe on the top ball part of my foot. it hurts to press on and iv started to walk with my foot in a "twisted ankle" position, i looked up gout on tinternet and the symptoms wer spot on. i dont wanna go to the dr, but does it go away and how did i get it in the first place. (im not a heavy drinker as 1 of the causes was alcohol!!)
TIA xx

[Ethel]

Go to your doctor instead of trying to self diagnose. There are many many tiny bones in your foot - you may have broken one.

If you have got gout you have a build up of uric acid - left untreated you will get painful kidney stones that will have to be removed.

But it could be any number of things.

[cazzrob]

thanx ethel, i know i should go to the docs, but it sed that i mite need a blood test and im a big baby when it comes to needles. is there any other way it could be diagnosed without needles? :-)

[Ethel]

Yes - the doctor will have a look and a feel. I would be surprised if you do have gout.
Pain in the foot is incredibly common, and usually caused by wearing high heels, which put pressure on the balls of the feet.

Could be the start of a bunion. Go and get it seen to.

[jno]

it's in the right place for gout. It may just go away of its own accord, or with a course of anti-inflammatories, but gout has a habit of recurring and you may ultimately need long-term treatment (though this is jumping ahead quite a bit).

All sort of things can cause it - spinach and sardines among them, as I recall.

Here's how James Gillray pictured it. I can vouch for his accuracy, unfortunately.

http://www.countway.harvard.edu/rarebooks/exhi bits/satires/Gout.jpg

[cazzrob]

cheers guys, the pain has eased off quite a bit, dunno if its coz iv started working out again! but at least i can walk with my foot back down again. :-)