Question
Dear Margot C. Ware,

First of all accept my tribute for the free service to Mankind.

I am male, 43years, married, weight 119lbs.

I feel pain on mid of the fingers of both hands for a month, though pain is not sever but I think it may be the symptom of Gout, may be I wrong, when I bend my hand or carry some weight I feel the pain more I have not cnducted any pathological test so far; I want to have your esteemed opinion, advices & suggestions through you great experiences and Ability.

Optimistic to have your positive reply.
Thqnking you.

Regards,

Wasim Khawaja.

Answer
Hello Wasim and thanks for writing,

It's impossible to diagnose anything over the internet, but I will provide you with some information I hope will help you. The best thing to do of course is see a doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Gout is one of the most common forms of arthritis (joint inflammation). It appears as an acute attack often coming on overnight. Within 12-24 hours there is severe pain and swelling in the affected joint. The skin over the joint may be red and shiny.

Gout usually affects only one or two joints at a time - most often the feet and ankles. The ball of the big toe is the commonest site. Without treatment the attack subsides in a week or so and when patients first develop gout there may be intervals of many months or even years between attacks. As time goes by, these tend to become more frequent and more severe and eventually many joints may be involved, sometimes all at the same time. At this stage a state of chronic or continuous joint disease may develop with progressive joint damage, disability and crippling (chronic gout). Gout affects mostly men and is very rare in women until after the menopause when it is quite often seen. Gout is very common in New Zealand and it is particularly common in Maoris and Pacific Islanders. Some surveys have shown it to be present in up to 10% of adult males.


There are over 100 different types of arthritis, symptoms of the disease can be variable, but there are certain signs which point to the disease.

You might suspect you have arthritis if you have signs and symptoms which include the following: Persistent joint pain; Pain or tenderness in a joint which is aggravated by movement or activity, such as walking, getting up from a chair, writing, typing, holding an object, throwing a ball, turning a key; Inflammation indicated by joint swelling, stiffness, redness, and/or warmth;  Joint deformity; Loss of range of motion or flexibility in a joint; Unexplained weight loss; Extreme fatigue, lack of energy; Non-specific fever & Crepitus.

There are over a 100 types of arthritis and you could have one or more of them. Your doctor can make a definitive diagnosis of arthritis by assessing your medical history, performing a physical examination, ordering specific laboratory tests, and x-rays.

I hope this helped and I wish you all the best,

Margot