Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Severe joint pain in toe, A and E?

64 replies

Everybodyslookingforsomething · 15/08/2022 17:10

I've had a subtle dull pain in my big toe joint on and off for a couple of months. My Mum has arthritis and Grandma did too so likely runs in the family.
I've been in complete agony with it for 2 hours, it's like someone's hitting it with a hammer repeatedly.
Taken ibuprofen but it hasn't really done anything. I'm a community carer and I'm supposed to be doing it tonight but I don't think I can face it.
It's that sort of job where they beg you to come in even short staffed as they've got nobody else to do it, they still ask you to come in even if you're sick which isn't good.
I'm ringing my GP for an appointment tomorrow morning but I don't want to just be fobbed off, I want it X-rayed.
Feel like just going to A and E tonight, this pain is horrible. Not saying it's arthtis definitely, but knowing my luck I'll have it

OP posts:
merrymelodies · 15/08/2022 18:44

It sounds like gout. I had exactly what you've described last spring -- felt like my big toe was on fire. It was excruciating.

Before I could get it diagnosed and treated, it helped to put ice packs on (wrapped in a tea towel or similar) and OTC pain relief helped as well.

If you can find cherry juice or cranberry juice, that will help. Drink lots of water too. ❤️

nocoolnamesleft · 15/08/2022 18:45

If you've not injured it, then I'd think that a GP appointment is more likely to be useful to you than A&E.

Original poster
Everybodyslookingforsomething · 15/08/2022 18:50

Thanks, it's slightly subsided with the pain relief and I'm ringing the GP tomorrow morning first thing. Fingers crossed

OP posts:
InquiringMinds · 15/08/2022 18:57

Darkness22 · 15/08/2022 18:25

@InquiringMinds

Bloody hell! What happened?? What did they do to you??

@Darkness22 First time seeing a Chiropractor. They made me lie on my back first and clicked my neck, next position I was face down on the bed my upper back was pushed down into the hard bed. Instant excruciating pain in ribs on one side, sternum and spleen area. I had instant welts under my breast and I am sure the entire street heard me screaming! I could barely breath. In short, broken ribs, cracked sternum and a damaged spleen. We found out a few weeks later that they have broken another patient’s ribs too. It’s going through litigation at the moment. My GP was livid with the Chiropractor as she had recommended going to him for my stiff neck! The next day I looked as though someone had beaten me up. Life is definitely never dull 🙈🤦‍♀️

quitefranklyabsurd · 15/08/2022 18:59

I went to a and e with gout. Didn’t know it was gout when i went. Absolute agony. If its they will give you pain killers and you need blood tests too.

Good Luck!

quitefranklyabsurd · 15/08/2022 18:59

Also drink loads and loads of water.

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL · 15/08/2022 19:20

Everybodyslookingforsomething · 15/08/2022 17:17

If I'm in extreme pain like I have been then I'm perfectly entitled to go to A and E .

So why are you asking?

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL · 15/08/2022 19:20

Everybodyslookingforsomething · 15/08/2022 17:20

Ok thanks for all the help I shan't be going to A and E, going to ring my job now and be prepared for them to beg me to come as they've got no other staff ..

Can you not work if you take pain killers?

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL · 15/08/2022 19:25

Everybodyslookingforsomething · 15/08/2022 17:40

Wow that's awful :( sad state of affairs

It was probably due to people with sore toes they had for ages, insisting they're entitled to go to a&e.

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL · 15/08/2022 19:26

5YearsLeft · 15/08/2022 18:11

I think some people are being really harsh.

OP is trying to determine if her pain is unbearable enough to be classified as an emergency, is what it sounds like to me. I have been to A&E for unbearable pain when there was no preceding accident, per se (chronic disease flare). OP, I recommend you look at a pain scale to determine how bad your pain is, from a medical view. Please look at the photo I’ve attached and think about whether you’re beyond an 8. My husband considers the hospital when I get above 8. When I went for pain, I was experiencing severe symptoms from the pain: I was in involuntary tears, dry heaving, had trouble speaking coherently, it was starting to trigger a related migraine, etc. I was a 10; I had to be wheeled into A&E. If you have no “loud” outward related symptoms from the pain, then at A&E, you will be triaged to the bottom of the list as the lowest category, you will have the longest wait, and all emergencies who have had accidents and who are showing these “louder” symptoms from pain will probably receive treatment before you. It may not be fair, especially if you’re a particularly stoic person, but that’s how it works.

If you are between 6 and 8 on the pain scale, have you tried a co-codamol? Because A&E will not give you enough tests to diagnose you with either gout or arthritis (or indeed, to diagnose you with most diseases - it’s not their purpose); an X-ray can’t do this; they will just give you stronger painkillers until your GP can send you for investigations to get you a diagnosis, so you might as well skip a possible eight-hour wait and just try the strong OTC painkillers? Also, before going to A&E in a borderline situation like this, think about what outcome you want. Something for the pain? Ok. Have you already tried the strongest OTC painkillers available? Do you instead want a note for work to “prove” your illness is real and so your bosses will leave you alone? While it’s unfortunate your work pressures you so much, nothing can ‘force’ them to leave you alone if you work somewhere that already pressures the sick to show up anyway, unless you’ve decided to take it to ACAS or the like; you should feel safe to self-certify while awaiting the GP, and then GP should handle this. Unfortunately, if this is the start of something like arthritis, you’re going to have to come up with a plan (with your GP maybe) of how to deal with days like this while awaiting an official diagnosis, which often takes anywhere from six months to 2 years. When you do speak to GP tomorrow, ask them what you should do.

Good luck, and I do hope the pain dies down and doesn’t return.

She's had pain for some time, not dealt with it and now wants a&e?

Manekinek0 · 15/08/2022 19:27

Our local a&e had a ridiculously long wait time a few days ago. Honestly I would go with the advice you have received here.

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL · 15/08/2022 19:27

Everybodyslookingforsomething · 15/08/2022 18:50

Thanks, it's slightly subsided with the pain relief and I'm ringing the GP tomorrow morning first thing. Fingers crossed

Why do you need a face to face appointment?

merrymelodies · 15/08/2022 21:40

FFS, just do as I suggested instead crossing your fingers! 🙄

NailedIt1 · 15/08/2022 21:45

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL · 15/08/2022 19:27

Why do you need a face to face appointment?

Show quote history

Because they'll want to palpate the joints to look for swelling, which might indicate arthritis, no idea about gout

New posts on this thread. Refresh page