Whenbunionsorgoutaffect the big toe, symptoms can be similar.
Bunions and gout are often mistaken for each other.
What people self-diagnose as a bunion is instead a more severe condition.
Phynart Studio / Getty Images
While gout and bunions share similarities, they differ in what causes them and how they are treated.
This article covers the similarities and differences between bunions and gout, including causes, diagnosis, andtreatment.
Additional distinctions between the conditions include appearance and location, sensation, and causes.
Most people will experience repeated gout episodes for their entire lives.
For some, the condition will be chronic and lead to joint damage.
Sensation
The medical term for a bunion is"hallux valgus.
Gout attacks can be excruciating.
Even something as light as a bed sheet touching the big toe can cause severe pain.
The gout attack can subside in hours or days, with or without treatment.
For some people, gout flares can last several weeks.
Some risk factors make it more likely for you to develop gout.
Getting a Diagnosis
Some methods for diagnosing gout are similar to diagnostic methods for bunions.
Gout
Gout is typically diagnosed after an initial attack of gout symptoms.
They might request an X-ray to determine if you have an injury or deformity.
Blood work is only done ifautoimmune arthritisis suspected.
Treatment for gout focuses on managing gout attacks and preventing future attacks.
A treatment plan typically includes home remedies and prescription medications.
Elevating the foot and applying ice can also help to ease swelling and pain.
Avoid sugary drinks and alcohol during a gout attack.
Drink plenty of water.
You may choose to use a cane or other mobility equipment when walking to keep pressure off the toe.
Your healthcare provider can prescribe medications to reduce inflammation and swelling and alleviate pain during a gout attack.
Medicines usually prescribed to manage gout attacks include Colcrys (colchicine) andcorticosteroids.
Long-Term Management
Your healthcare provider might suggest lifestyle changes and prescription medicines to prevent future gout attacks.
Bunions usually are treated withnonsurgical options.
Surgery is considered when nonsurgical options have not helped you.
Abunionectomyis the most common procedure used to treat a bunion.
Summary
Bunions and gout are painful conditions affecting the big toe’smetatarsophalangealjoint.
Both cause pain, swelling, and severe discomfort with walking and putting pressure on the big toe.
While these conditions share similar symptoms, they have different causes and must be managed differently.
Treatment for gout focuses on treating and preventing gout attacks with medication and lifestyle changes.
Bunion pain is treated with NSAIDs and therapies that alleviate stress on the big toe.
A bunion can be treated with surgery if nonsurgical treatments have not helped or the toe becomes deformed.
If you experience MTP pain, reach out to a healthcare provider.
Bunions are related to foot structure abnormalities, while high uric levels cause gout.
A bunion pops up if there is a deformity of the joints and soft tissues of the big toe.
A bone spur is a bony outgrowth of a joint and is generally brought on by an arthritis condition.
Both can lead to a bony lump in the MTP joint.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Bunions.
Hospital for Special Surgery.Gout: risk factors, diagnosis and treatment.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Gout.
2014;90(12):831-6.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Bunion surgery.
