Gout vs Pseudogout

Sometimes, even if a person lives a healthy lifestyle, abstains from alcohol or drinks it modestly, they can experience a condition that mirrors gout, but is in actuality, a different arthritic condition altogether known as pseudogout. To help you understand the differences between these two, the following is a breakdown of the causes, symptoms and treatments for each condition.

Gout

Gout is a form of arthritis that occurs suddenly, usually affecting the big toe, and causes severe painful attacks, tenderness and redness in the affected joint. An attack can last days or weeks. Gout is caused by a build up of uric acid which turns into uric acid crystals that are deposited into the joints causing them to become inflamed. The first attack of gout often occurs late at night.

A build up of uric acid that develops into gout can result from:

oHigh alcohol consumption

oEating excessive food rich in purines such as organ meats

oCrash diets

oJoint injury

oSurgery

oChemotherapy

The symptoms of gout include:

oSudden intense joint pain

oInflammation and redness in the affected joint.

oSwelling

oDifficulty moving affected joint within its normal capacity.

Treatment for gout includes:

oNSAIDs - The most common treatment for gout includes nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, indomethacin and naproxen. They are used to help alleviate paint and reduce inflammation

oColchicine - prescription med that prevents gout attacks from recurring

oDiet - By controlling what you eat, staying well hydrated and exercising regularly, you can help reduce your uric acid levels and prevent gout.

oSurgery - This is very rare treatment and is only required if there is significant joint damage from frequent attacks.

Pseudogout

Pseudogout is a form of arthritis that occurs when calcium pyrophosphate crystals accumulate in joints. Although it is sometimes referred to as calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate deposition disease (CPDD), the disease is called pseudogout due to the fact that its symptoms and crystal build up are similar to gout.

Like gout, pseudogout causes a sudden extreme attack of pain and swelling to specific joints, which can last for days or weeks. However, unlike gout that usually attacks the big toe first, pseudogout is usually present in the knees, but can also affect the shoulder, elbows, wrists, hands, or ankles. Furthermore, pseudogout can become a chronic arthritic condition that feels more like osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.

It is clear that the development of calcium pyrophosphate crystals is what causes Pseudogout. Eventually, crystals can be deposited into the cartilage of a joint and then begin to damage it, a condition known as chondrocalcinosis. Although medical researchers are not sure why the calcium pyrophosphate crystals occur, it is suspected that the condition may be hereditary or related to:

oHypothryroidism (underactive thyroid)

oHemochromatosis (too much iron storage)

oOveractive parathyroid gland

oLow levels of magnesium in the blood

oHypercalcemia (too much calcium in the blood)

oJoint injury

oSurgery (either related to a joint or not)

Unlike gout, pseudogout is not necessarily gender specific or diet related, and usually affects 3% of people in their sixties and approximately 50% of those in their nineties.

The symptoms of pseudogout include:

oSwelling of the affected joint

oSevere pain

oWarmth

oRedness

Treatment for pseudogout includes:

oNSAIDs

oCortisone injections

oIce therapy, mild exercise and rest

oSurgery - only occurs if severe damage has been done to the joints.

As you can see, both gout and pseudogout are incredibly painful conditions that result from the build up of crystal deposits in the joints causing inflammation. Essentially, the main difference between the two is the type of crystals.