Gout Knee Pain

Gout Knee Pain

Knee gout is arthritis caused by the buildup of uric acid. A condition that can be extremely painful as the uric acid forms crystals that interfere with the normally smooth surface of the knee joint. 

Gout Knee Pain
Gout Knee Pain

Uric Acid Crystals Magnified

What is Knee Gout?

Gout that forms in your knee has high levels of uric acid. Uric acid forms sharp crystals that cause sudden swelling, pain, and tenderness.  Everyday movements, such as walking or standing become painful or uncomfortable when gout affects your knee.

Symptoms of Knee Gout

Symptoms of gout in the knee include:

  • Change of skin color or shiny skin around the knee.
  • Swelling in the knee and around it.
  • Pain that is often sudden and severe and limits use of the knee.

An attack of gout can occur suddenly, this condition is triggered by high levels of uric acid in your blood. Uric acid is a natural compound in your body. However, if you have too much of it, sharp crystals of uric acid can collect in your joints. These sharp crystals cause a gout flare-ups. The affected joint is hot, swollen and so tender that even the slightest weight on it, may seem intolerable.

Pseudogout vs. Gout

You may have been diagnosed with pseudogout. Learn the difference between pseudogout and gout?

Pseudogout and gout are both types of arthritis, and they’re both caused by the accumulation of crystals in the joints. While pseudogout is caused by calcium pyrophosphate crystals, gout is caused by urate (uric acid) crystals.

Gout Knee Pain
Gout Knee Pain

Calcium Pyrophosphate Crystals

Severity and Seriousness

Knee gout that goes untreated can lead to worsening pain and knee joint damage. Seek medical care immediately if you have a fever and your knee joint is hot and inflamed, which can be a sign of infection. If left unmanaged, gout-related inflammation can cause permanent damage to your knee joint, especially if you have frequent flare-ups. Over time, lumps of uric acid crystals, called tophi, can also form around your knee. 

People with gout can develop more-severe conditions, such as:

  • Recurrent gout. Some people may never experience gout signs and symptoms again. Others may experience gout several times each year. Medications may help prevent gout attacks in people with recurrent gout. If left untreated, gout can cause erosion and destruction of a joint.
  • Advanced gout. Untreated gout may cause deposits of urate crystals to form under the skin in nodules called tophi (TOE-fie). Tophi can develop in several areas, such as your fingers, hands, feet, elbows or Achilles tendons along the backs of your ankles. Tophi usually aren’t painful, but they can become swollen and tender during gout attacks.
  • Kidney stones. Urate crystals may collect in the urinary tracts of people with gout, causing kidney stones. Medications can help reduce the risk of kidney stones.

In conclusion, gout in your knee can be very painful, you may need a pain specialist to relieve your pain while you heal. Above all, Carolinas Pain Center located in Charlotte, NC and Huntersville, NC has specialists who can give you information based on your specific condition and create a treatment plan to help relieve your gout knee pain.

References-

Jeffrey L Jackson Patrick G O’MalleyKurt Kroenke 2003 Oct 7;139(7):575-88. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-139-7-200310070-00010. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14530229/
2019 May;49(5):743-761. doi: 10.1007/s40279-019-01082-0. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30830561/
2010 Oct;59 Suppl 1:S32-6. doi: 10.1016/j.metabol.2010.07.009. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20837191/