In an interview with AARP, Theodore R. Fields, MD, FACP, rheumatologist at HSS, shares how to diagnose and treat joint pain in your big toe. 

Call it the canary in the coal mine — or maybe a screaming eagle, to more aptly describe the pain. Identifying gout usually requires taking a patient’s medical history, conducting a physical exam and testing, Dr. Fields noted. A joint fluid analysis can detect the presence of monosodium urate crystals under a microscope.

Flares are typically treated with anti-inflammatory drugs and, in some cases, a cortisone injection in the affected joint. Medicine to lower uric acid levels, most commonly allopurinol, can prevent future flares, Dr. Fields noted, if a person is able to continue taking it. Medication side effects range from drowsiness and dizziness to joint pain, stiffness and swelling. 

Read the full article at aarp.org.