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Pseudogout (Imitation Gout) |
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What is pseudogout
Pseudogout (pronounced soo-doe-gowt) is a type of arthritis that is caused by the build of calcium (pronounced cal-see-um) in the body.The calcium forms crystals that deposit in the joints between bones. This causes swelling and pain in the area. This is called inflammation.The calcium deposits and inflammation can cause parts of the joints to get weak and break down.Cartilage is the tough elastic material that covers and protects the ends of bones. With pseudogout bits of cartilage may break off and cause more pain and swelling in the joint.Over time the cartilage may wear away entirely, and the bones rub together.Pseudogout results from a build up of calcium crystals (calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate) in a joint. The joint reacts to the calcium crystals by becoming inflamed. The calcium deposits and chronic inflammation can cause parts of the joint structure to weaken and break down. Cartilage, the tough elastic material that cushions the ends of the bones, can begin to crack and get holes in it. Bits of cartilage may break off into the joint space and irritate soft tissues, such as muscles, and cause problems with movement. Much of the pain of pseudogout is a result of muscles and the other tissues that help joints move (such as tendons and ligaments) being forced to work in ways for which they were not designed, as a result of damage to the cartilage. Cartilage itself does not have nerve cells, and therefore cannot sense pain, but the muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones do. After many years of cartilage erosion, bones may actually rub together. This grinding of bone against bone adds further to the pain. Bones can also thicken and form growths, called spurs or osteophytes, which rub together.
The word 'pseudogout' actually means 'fake' or 'imitation gout.' Like the disease gout, pseudogout can come on as sudden, recurrent attacks of pain and swelling in a single joint. Gout is also caused by the build-up of crystals within a joint. However, gout is caused by the build-up of uric acid crystals, rather than the calcium crystals. Gout usually attacks the big toe, while pseudogout most often attacks the knee.
How common is pseudogout?
Both men and women can get pseudogout.It usually appears in middle-aged and elderly people.Chances of getting gout increase with age. Pseudogout affects 3% of people in their 60s. 50% of people over age 90 will get gout.
What causes pseudogout?
There seem to be a number of factors that increase the chances of developing gout. However, the exact cause of the disease is not known.
The chances of getting pseudogout seem to increase with age.
Many people who develop pseudogout also have other family members with it.
Events such as strokes, heart attacks or surgery may increase the risk of pseudogout.
Pseudogout is not caused by eating too much calcium.Calcium crystals (calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate) occur naturally within your body, and help with the absorption of calcium from food. If you have pseudogout, these crystals have deposited within the lining of your joints. Your body's natural reaction to this is to send in special fighter cells called neutrophils to destroy the calcium crystals. As these neutrophils try to attack the crystals they release certain enzymes. These enzymes cause local tissue damage, inflammation (swelling) and pain.
It is quite common for older people to have areas of calcification (hardening) in the cartilage. It is not clear why calcium deposits in the joints of some people and not others. However, in addition to aging, there are some factors that seem to increase a person's risk for pseudogout.
Heredity seems to play a role. If you have pseudogout you might have other relatives who have had the same condition. If you have recently had an injury, major illness or surgery to a joint you could also be at greater risk of developing pseudogout. Pseudogout may be the first noted symptom in a few metabolic diseases such as disorders of the thyroid and parathyroid glands.
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What are the warning signs of pseudogout?
If you have pseudogout you may have intense, constant pain in one joint that seems to have come on for no reason. The area may be hot to the touch, red, swollen and stiff.
The pain may last from several days to a few weeks and then may disappear. Later it may start again, possibly in a different joint.
Pseudogout usually affects the knees. It can also affect the wrists, elbows, shoulders and ankles.The symptoms of pseudogout include sudden and repeated attacks of pain and swelling in one joint. There may be stiffness and increased heat at the affected joint. Pseudogout most commonly affects the knees, but it can also affect the wrists, elbows, shoulders and ankles.
Pseudogout usually comes on with no warning. The symptoms may last several days to a few weeks and then disappear. Recurrent episodes may occur, again without warning, and each time affect a completely different joint. The attacks will usually affect only one joint at a time.
Damage from pseudogout progresses over time and may result in several problems. You may have pain, especially when moving an affected joint. Sometimes, you may hear a grating sound when the roughened cartilage on the surface of the bones rubs together. Joints may feel sore and stiff, so that the joint will not move as easily or as far as it once did. All these changes can make it hard to move and do everyday tasks, such as walking up the stairs or opening a jar.
Treatment
In the study on back pain, using custom-made orthotics rather than just shoe lifts or pads was more effective for the following reasons: Shoe lifts and pads wear out quickly and loose their original shape. As the heel and sole of the shoe wear down, so does any correction that the lifts or pads might have provided. The comfortable, yet durable materials that custom-made orthotics are constructed with will last for years without wearing down or loosing their shape. Custom-made orthotics will also reduce abnormal shoe wear, so that your shoes will last longer.
Shoe lifts and pads cannot provide shock absorbency for the spine for a similar reason. Lifts and pads will compress quickly, removing all shock absorbency from them. Custom-made orthotics are made of modern shock absorbent materials, which compress when the body's weight is placed on them; and, when the weight is removed from the orthotic, it returns to its original shape (the materials have a built in "memory"). This ensures years of comfort giving shock absorbency for the spine and back.
Shoe lifts and pads become expensive because they work for only 2 to 3 months before they must be replaced. Orthotics will last for years, thus saving you money in the long run.
What can you do about pseudogout
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