[Guest]

have suffered from gout 15 years. usually affects left big toe occasionally ankle or knee. attacked left ankle 6 weeks. hadn't consulted doctor in several years so paid a visit. internist perscribed usual antiinflamatory drug alleviated swelling & bulk of pain in 2-3 days. 3-4 weeks, pain in heel & underside of foot persisted especially when walking out a shoe. throughout time i continued normal exercise routine included primarily cycling & stair master. pain subsided progressively by has yet to end completely. past week noticed a between ankle bone & achilles tendon sensitive to touch. pain subsided when deep massaged 2-3 minutes/massage over past few days. today only remaining problem is pain in arch when i shift weight to inside of foot as in making backswing of golf swing. also, slight pain in heel when i tap heel on floor. no visible inflamation. not likely i could do any serious running or engage in sport required changes of direction ( i. e. basketball, tennis, etc.) has gone on 6 weeks now & is 1st time a gout attack has caused such protracted symptoms. normally, all symptoms gone in a few days. is it possible damage caused by continuing to exercise during initial period of pain & inflamation? i've certainly done it bee out consequence. can uric acid crystals cause damage if affected joint is exercised? is it possible or parts of foot were affected by altering my normal walking pattern during initial period of pain & inflamation? remedy do suggest? heat, cold, continue gout attack pills, massage....? r suggestions much appreciated. many thanks, joe leighton Pittsburgh PA tel/cell/fax 800-559-3593

[Guest]

All of your hypotheses are possibilities. Multiple gout attacks as you have had can cause arthritis and destroy the cartilage within the joints. Also, altering your way of walking during a gout attack can strain other structures. Therefore, you may have plantar fasciitis which you can read more about under the heel pain section of podiatrychannel.com. However, it is important to prevent these attacks from occurring in the first place. There are many medicines that you can take that will help prevent you from having a gouty attack in the first place. Therefore, talk to your doctor about these and see a podiatrist about your foot pain. Good luck and please write back if you have any further questions.

[Guest]

Is it possible for gout to occur in the wrist? What pain killers do you reccomend in order to reduce pain?

[Guest]

Yes it is possible. There are many prescription pain medicines that can help but you would need to see a doctor for a prescription. Have a nice day and please write back if you have any further questions.