Is it gout? Plus misc. links
Because of past incidents I just sort of assume that any acute pain in my big toe joints harkens the onset of gout, but this time I'm not entirely sure. The pain is just slightly forward of where the toe attaches to the foot (whereas with past gout I've felt it squarely in the joint) and only seems to come when flexing the toe in a certain way and direction (whereas in the past with gout any flexion or pressure at all has brought on the excruciating stabbing feeling), almost like I've pulled the associated muscle or strained a tendon or something. I did start noticing this on Wednesday morning, and played hockey Tuesday night, but nothing remarkable happened in the game that would explain this.
Also the level of pain hasn't increased too much over the last couple days, whereas in a typical gout attack I'd be hobbling around by now. I did immediately start eating lots of tart cherries (which I think still haven't been shown conclusively and scientifically to have any effect, although there's lots of anecdotal evidence), so maybe that's why the pain hasn't spiked.
I'm about to go out for lunch with some co-workers to the steakhouse across the street. As some sort of perverse proof that I watch too much House, I'm seriously considering having a burger and some beers for diagnostic purposes. If it gets worse, it's gout. Otherwise it's something else :-)
Couple random links from the past couple days:
- New "five-dimensional discs" (including use of spectral changes and directional polarization) that can store 2000 times as much data as DVDs may be in our relatively near future: "the researchers -- who have already signed an agreement with Samsung -- are confident the discs will be commercially available within 5-10 years." Hmm, maybe I won't sink a ton of money into Bluray.
- boingboing: Space Invaders-shaped soaps
Also the level of pain hasn't increased too much over the last couple days, whereas in a typical gout attack I'd be hobbling around by now. I did immediately start eating lots of tart cherries (which I think still haven't been shown conclusively and scientifically to have any effect, although there's lots of anecdotal evidence), so maybe that's why the pain hasn't spiked.
I'm about to go out for lunch with some co-workers to the steakhouse across the street. As some sort of perverse proof that I watch too much House, I'm seriously considering having a burger and some beers for diagnostic purposes. If it gets worse, it's gout. Otherwise it's something else :-)
Couple random links from the past couple days:
- New "five-dimensional discs" (including use of spectral changes and directional polarization) that can store 2000 times as much data as DVDs may be in our relatively near future: "the researchers -- who have already signed an agreement with Samsung -- are confident the discs will be commercially available within 5-10 years." Hmm, maybe I won't sink a ton of money into Bluray.
- boingboing: Space Invaders-shaped soaps