Help please! Bursitis or gout? How to tell?

It's the joint under my wife's big toe; left foot.
She has experienced some slight swelling and slight pain there for a number of years now - put it down to bad shoes when she was younger. When she wears flip flop sandals in summer, it hurts more. Also, her Mum had the same thing! So we have always assumed it was bursitis ...
However, she woke up in the middle of the night last night and complained of a different sort of pain there - said it felt like being hit with a rubber hammer every two minutes (as in one minute of pain, then a pain-free minute; repeated at regular intervals ...) The joint was red and swollen, but not tender to the touch. In fact, she said massage helped. She can walk without any pain and has felt no discomfort once she got up. However, I am worried it might be gout! Don't know why ... unless I can convince her it might be, she won't go to the doctor. I looked up both conditions on the net today; some good sites, but can't tell which it is!
Thanks for helping

Oh, by the way, we had seafood last night, and drank beer. Wife is usually a wine drinker ... I read that seafood and beer can bring on a gout attack, but red wine has no effect ... ?

Hi.
Maybe it is just a bunion?
I know they don't sound worthy of being included in your answers, but the bit you said about your wife's mum having the same problem ... well, apparently that is often the case with bunions.
And if your wife has had it for a long time, it would be getting angry and flaring up now and again. Bunions are attention-seekers!
Also you said your wife herself believes it was due to the wrong kind of shoe, when she was younger.
And I may be wrong, but actually there are bursas in the foot. I don't understand why people are telling you there aren't.
Whatever, I hope it isn't gout! That sounds so 18th Century!
Anyway, hope you find out!

One of the most recognised symptoms of -gout= is a discolouration of the big toe,The foot affected, will be very painful. to walk on,your wife needs to have this checked by the GP. It will not go away without treatment, which is normally tablets,if it is Gout ? The tablets prescribed are -very effective- in dealing with this after a short time.

It's impossible to be 100% sure from you description but it would seem unlikely it is gout because it's usually very painful. It's unlikely to be bursitis as there are no large bursas in the big toe (bursitis = inflammation of bursa). Your best bet is to get her to see her Dr. As there is a family history of a similar problem a likely cause is wear and tear of the toe joint but it needs a suitably qualified professional to exclude infection or inflammation as possible causes.

I believe your wife's problem is neither gout or bursitis. I think the description of her symptoms suggests that she is suffering from sesamoiditis. The big toe bone is not connected to other bone but to to tendons which are known as sesamoids. This is a very painful condition at times but at others can almost lay dormant. The sesamoid that joins your wife's big toe acts a bit like a smooth surface over which the tendons can slide and also helps with lifting the big toe. If the sesamoid is broken or stretched in some way it can become inflammed and sore at times. The condition could be helped by using pulsed field magnetic therapy which is non-invasive, painless and although treatment only lasts for about 8 minutes, the effect in the body's immune system goes on for up to 10hrs. I found a product that delivers this treatment and I have put the URL below. I hope this helps and stops the worry you have been suffering.

Well you are sweet to be worried about your wife to the extent you want to find a serious problem for her!
Actually, I think Irish Lad is your best bet here.
Gout can affect post-menopausal women, although it is predominantly a male condition. You don't say how old your wife is, but from looking at some of your previous posts, I have a rough idea.
Your first answer mentioned discolouration, and that is right, but it happens later on; long before you think you need to get checked out.
Sesamoiditis sounds a good diagnosis to me, and much better than gout!
If your wife's pain and swelling persist for 3 days, or get worse tomorrow, see a g.p. immediately!

Sounds like Gout...Bursities is usually inflammation of a major joing area (ie knees, elbows, hips) if after eating certain foods (esp red meat or other animal organs) she feels this pain more intensly then Gout is most likely your answer. Your doctor should prescribe Feldene, generic Piroxicam 10 or 20mg.

Its simple :Go to a doctor and get a blood test for uric acid.
This will definitely show if it is gout.
Women generally only get Gout after menopause. There are other Gout like attacks such as Pseudogout which is a different form of gout.
Remind your wife that she can get kidney stones and disease, plus long term muscle and joint damage if she doesn't get on top of this problem if it is Gout.
GO TO THE DOCTOR. IT DOESN'T HURT.
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