Toe and foot pain can be frustrating. They can be very uncomfortable and stop you from performing several daily activities. Gout and turf toe are two diseases that can lead to pain and swelling of your big toe and its joints, decreasing mobility. While some of the manifestations may first show up in the same ways, the underlying causes and treatments are different.
Knowing more about these diseases can help you understand the difference and similarities between them. It can also help you get the best treatment for the pain.
What is gout?
Gout is a clinical term used to describe several medical conditions. In most cases, these conditions are caused by the accumulation of uric acid. If your body is not losing the uric acid, urate crystals develop in your body’s tissues, majorly around joints. This accumulation of crystals causes a form of painful arthritis. Several diseases such as blood and metabolism disorders or dehydration can cause your body to produce too much uric acid. Also, kidney or thyroid disorders can make excretion of uric acid difficult. Consumption of foods high in purines can cause accumulations of uric acid [1] due to the breakdown of the natural components of DNA and RNA.