Big toe joint

[Georgia3]

Hi. For over two weeks my big toe joint has been hot swollen and painful. My practice nurse sent me for blood tests to check for gout and sepsis. She said it could be an RA flare but would it just be in one joint? I'm in pain in other joints but no swelling involved.

I haven't rested as I work as a nanny with twins four days a week. Any ideas please?

[magglen]

I don't think it is uncommon to have one joint worse than another. For instance, the middle finger on my right hand is more swollen than the others and I often have sudden pains in my toes. However it sounds like the right tests are being done and your GP should be in contact with your RD consultant for information and advice.

[mandy_59]

I had the same problem with my big toes, it was affecting my walking & assumed it was just a new place that my R.A had found to set up home. After seeing a specialist I was told I had osteoarthitis in both my big toes.

[oldtimer]

Over the years I have sometimes just had one joint flare up. I don't think it was OA as it was when I was much younger and I did not continue to have problems with that joint afterwards (except for the usual slight damage problems of treated RA) and i don't have gout as i have been tested for that several times (and for pseudo-gout).

So...just one of the variants of RD, I think.

[wishbone]

Same here.. my big toe started troubling me 6 months ago. It can be swollen and painful when other joints are having a good day. I thought it was probably osteoarthritis so haven't bothered mentioning it to rheumy.

[Georgia3]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I'll wait for the test results and go from there.