Symptoms of pseudogout
The most common joint affected by pseudogout is the knee, followed by the wrist. The joints of the hands and the joint at the base of the big toe can also be inflamed. If the big toe is inflamed, it may be mistaken for gout, as this is the main feature of gout.
Pseudogout causes inflammation that varies in severity. These severity levels fall into three basic categories:
- Acute (short-term) arthritis flares up in one joint
- Chronic (long-term) inflammation flares up in multiple joints
- Rapidly progressive degeneration of cartilage in affected joints
Joint pain, swelling, redness, tenderness, and heat are common during pseudogout flare-ups. Fever may also occur during these attacks.
Chronic pseudogout causes inflammation in multiple joints at the same time. This type of inflammation is less severe but more widespread. If chronic pseudogout affects multiple joints, it can be confused with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA is an autoimmune arthritis that causes inflammation of the synovial lining of the joints, leading to severe joint destruction.
With chronic pseudogout, symptoms may include:
- Joint pain and swelling
- Joint stiffness
- Reduced joint function
- Morning stiffness
- Tired
Rapidly progressing pseudogout can lead to joint damage, and is often seen in people with severe osteoarthritis (OA). OA is a degenerative disease that comes with age and wear and tear on the joints. Severe OA leads to severe joint damage, pain, and reduced range of motion.
Pseudogout vs. gout
Although pseudogout and gout can cause similar symptoms, they are different conditions, characteristics of which include:
- Gout is the result of high levels of uric acid in the blood, while pseudogout is the result of calcium pyrophosphate crystals forming and accumulating in the joints and surrounding tissues.
- Pseudogout usually affects multiple joints, with the knees and wrists being the most commonly affected. Gout will affect one joint at a time, usually the big toe.
- Flares associated with pseudogout can occur at any time, while gout flares often begin in the middle of the night.
- The pain associated with pseudogout can be more severe and last longer than the pain caused by a gout flare.
- Gout flares often have triggers such as diet, stress, and medications, while pseudogout has no obvious trigger.
