Tophus on little fingerIf I had this on my finger and didn't know what it was, I'd be worried.
Given I do know what it is, I'm still worried.
Rheumatologists still see this too often. It always intrigues me how some people can just ignore this sort of growth while others will get worried by the slightest discomfort in their finger. Vagaries of human nature?
For those non-doctors reading this, the diagnosis is gout, and specifically tophaceous gout. For the non-rheumatology doctors reading this, it's an indication this patient definitely needs urate-lowering therapy.
A lump like this signifies way too high levels of uric acid in the body and signifies that the patient will have chronic joint problems and destruction, as well as probable kidney damage as the uric acid crystals also accumulate in that organ.
Tophus with underlying joint destruction
Why do you think we still have people ignoring this?
