Relief of Gout OR ???

I couldn't get to the clinic today- it closed just as I arrived. My toe is driving INSANE. My hubby says it looks like gout- the joint under my big toe is visibly red and swollen. But that's pretty much where the similarities end.
It's been bothering me since around Tuesday evening (almost 4 days now) and it hurts the most when I'm sleeping.
I crack all of my knuckles- have for as long as I'm alive lol, but I feel compelled to crack the toe every other minute (I do so by applying pressure to the nail area of my big toe with my middle toe and when I bend the big toe, it pops). But it doesn't WANT to pop and get's "stuck" in between until I annoy it enough that it finally does. My aggravating matters doesn't help, I know, but it hurts if I don't crack it... it hurts when I do. In the mean time, it's horribly inflamed and I can feel fluid on it.
It bends fine and there was no injury. Applying pressure and heat help some. Any ideas what might help more or what could be wrong?

Sounds like gout. If it were a stress fracture, it would probably hurt to crack it and put pressure on it.

It could also be a bunion or something. You should get this checked out. Gout is actually serious - you have to change how you eat or it will move into other joints. Try some anti-inflammatory meds, and drinnk a lot of water today. Ice it, and maybe elevate the toe.

Drink black cherry juice. You could get it from a vitamin or nutritional center. It helps to ease the painfully inflammation of gout. Gout is in the family of Arthritis. You need to confirm with your doctor who will take x-rays and blood work to confirm.