Recognize the difference between rheumatism and gout

Have you had any pain in your joints recently? Some say it is because you have rheumatism, but others think it is due to gout. So, which is it? Although both cause joint pain, these two diseases are actually different. In order not to be mistaken, here are the differences between rheumatism and gout that you need to know.

The difference in symptoms between rheumatism and gout

Rheumatism and gout are both types of arthritis or arthritis. Both of them can cause symptoms of stiffness, swelling, joint pain, which makes your movement limited.

However, rheumatism or rheumatoid arthritis generally affects the lining of the joint (synovium). Inflammation and symptoms usually begin in the small joints, namely the hands, then spread to other joints, such as the wrists, ankles, knees, elbows, hips, and shoulders.

Rheumatic symptoms, such as joint pain and stiffness, usually worsen in the morning after waking up or resting too long. In addition, joint pain in rheumatism is generally symmetrical or affects both sides of the body, such as the fingers of the right and left hands.

While gout or gout usually affects the large joint in the big toe, it can occur in any joint, such as the ankles, knees, elbows, wrists, and fingers. Symptoms of gout are usually mobile and rarely symmetrical.

For example, pain may appear in the big toe of the left foot followed by the big toe of the right foot, but the next bout of gout may strike one of the knees or the wrist. Symptoms of gout often recur at night while you sleep.

Both of these diseases often cause fever in the sufferer. However, a person with gout is more likely to experience fever than rheumatism.

Different causes of rheumatism and gout

Although both are arthritis, the causes between rheumatism and gout are different. The cause of rheumatism is an autoimmune disorder, which is a condition when the immune or immune system mistakenly attacks healthy body tissues.

In the case of rheumatism, the joint lining or synovium is the part of the joint that is generally affected. This condition causes inflammation of the synovium which then affects the tissue around other joints so that it can damage the joint as a whole.

Meanwhile, the cause of gout is excess levels of uric acid (uric acid) in the blood. Too high uric acid levels will accumulate and form uric acid crystals in the joints, fluids and tissues in the body, causing pain in the joints.

High uric acid levels generally occur due to consuming too many foods that contain purines. These purines are then processed by the body to become uric acid.

How to diagnose rheumatism and gout is not the same

Different symptoms and causes of disease, so different ways doctors diagnose which gout or rheumatism.

To find the difference between rheumatism and gout, the doctor will first ask about the patient's medical history and symptoms experienced. The doctor will also ask about your diet and what medications you are taking, as well as other things related to your lifestyle.

Doctors can usually find the difference between cases of rheumatism and gout through the location of the painful joints. From this, the doctor can recommend that you undergo various follow-up tests, such as blood tests, joint fluid tests, and MRI or X-rays, to confirm the diagnosis.

The types of tests that are carried out are generally the same, but the test results will then confirm the doctor's diagnosis. If the results of blood tests and joint fluid tests show that your uric acid levels are high, this is a sign that you really have gout.

Meanwhile, blood test results will refer to rheumatism conclusions if the doctor finds the following:

• Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptides.
• C-reactive protein.
• Erythrocyte sedimentation rate.
• Rheumatoid factor.

Meanwhile, through imaging tests, generally the two diseases are difficult to distinguish. Kelly A. Portnoff, a rheumatologist from Portland, Oregon, said the two diseases will both show joint damage through the test.

The difference in drug administration between rheumatism and gout

Rheumatism and gout both cause joint pain. Thus, both of them also get the same drugs to relieve these symptoms, such as pain relievers, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and corticosteroids.

However, the causes of these two diseases are different, so the sufferer will receive different additional drugs. In particular, rheumatic drugs that are commonly administered, namely disease modifying anti-rheumatoid drugs (DMARDs) or biological DMARDs.

Meanwhile, special uric acid drugs are given, namely colchicine, allopurinol, and probenecid, to reduce or control uric acid levels. A person with gout also needs to avoid various foods that are taboo on uric acid or that contain high purines to help control the disease.

Know how to prevent rheumatism and gout

The causes of rheumatism and gout are different, so the ways to prevent these two diseases are different. Rheumatic disease is generally difficult to prevent because the cause of the autoimmune disorder itself is not certain.

However, the risk of rheumatoid arthritis can be reduced by quitting smoking, exercising, and avoiding environmental exposure and various other rheumatic restrictions. Meanwhile, to prevent gout is a lifestyle change by avoiding foods that contain high purines and exercising regularly.