If you’re living with pain in New York, it might be due to gout. In certain cases, gout is a condition that’s easy to resolve. However, about 25% of people suffering from gout will feel pain in multiple areas. Making matters more confusing, these same individuals might never feel pain in the toes where gout often originates from. With that in mind, here’s a closer look at a few diseases commonly misdiagnosed as gout.
A stress fracture
Considering how much use most people’s feet get, many individuals can experience the pain of a stress fracture. This injury can happen due to dropping something on your toe or jamming it against a hard surface. Unfortunately, medical malpractice claims can result from a doctor misdiagnosing your fractured toe as a case of gout.
An infected joint
You might have an infection if you’re dealing with a joint that’s inflamed and swollen. Commonly referred to in the medical field as septic arthritis, an infected joint can cause fever and a rapid increase in your white blood cells. Fortunately, medical specialists can designate between gout and septic arthritis by taking a fluid sample from the affected joint.
Pseudogout
Another ailment that makes gout misdiagnoses more common than normal is pseudogout. Both pseudogout and gout develop after calcium pyrophosphate crystals settle in either one or several of the body’s joints. Once this happens, it causes mild to severe levels of pain and inflammation. To understand which condition you have, your doctor will need to examine the crystals in your joints.
As you can see, gout often gets misdiagnosed as a wide range of other medical conditions. If you were the recent victim of a medical misdiagnosis, it might be beneficial to contact a malpractice lawyer.