Arthritis is usually discussed in terms of painful, stiff or swollen joints. Yet for many people, another symptom can be just as disruptive: a level of exhaustion that does not always disappear after a good night's sleep. Fatigue can occur with inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis, but it can also affect people living with osteoarthritis. It may make ordinary tasks feel unexpectedly demanding and can be difficult to explain when, from the outside, you appear perfectly well. On this page Arthritis fatigue is more than ordinary tiredness Why arthritis can drain your energy The problem with the boom-and-bust cycle What may actually help? When fatigue deserves a medical review Arthritis fatigue is more than ordinary tiredness Ordinary tiredness usually has an obvious explanation: a bus...

  You’re sound asleep when suddenly you wake up to a burning pain in your big toe. It’s intense – your toe feels hot, swollen, and so tender that even the touch of a bedsheet is unbearable. The likely culprit is gout, a form of inflammatory arthritis that loves to strike the big toe. Here’s why it happens, how to get quick relief, and how to prevent future attacks. Gout – The Usual Suspect in Sudden Big Toe Pain Gout is caused by uric acid crystals depositing in a joint, triggering fierce inflammation. Uric acid is a normal waste product, but when levels run high or the kidneys don’t clear it well, sharp urate crystals can form – especially in cooler, stressed joints like the base of the big toe (the first MTP joint). An acute gout attack often starts suddenly at night, peaking within 24 hours with extreme pain, redness, warmth, and swelling. Even light touch can hurt. Without treatment, the worst pain fades over days, but stiffness may linger. Risk Factors and Triggers for...