Gout vs Tendonitis: Difference and Comparison

Gout and Tendinitis are both health-related problems. Gout is a common form of arthritis that mostly happens in the toe. Tendonitis is a tendon disorder that happens due to an injury.

Both illnesses result in pain and swelling. However, both vary from each other on various notes.

Key Takeaways

1. Gout is caused by a buildup of uric acid in the body, while the overuse of a tendon causes tendonitis.
2. Gout affects the big toe, while tendonitis affects the shoulder, elbow, or wrist.
3. Gout can be treated with medication and dietary changes, while tendonitis can be treated with rest, ice, and physical therapy.

Gout vs Tendonitis

Gout is a type of arthritis caused by a buildup of uric acid crystals in the joints. It most commonly affects the big toe but can also occur in other joints, such as the ankle, knee, wrist, and elbow. Tendonitis is an inflammation or irritation of a tendon, which is the thick, fibrous cord that attaches muscle to bone. It most commonly occurs in the shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees, and heels.

Gout is a form of arthritis that happens because of the excessive uric acid in the body, which turns into crystals and gets cornered in the joints of the body. Due to gout, the joints swallow, redden and give immense pain. It mostly happens in the toe.

Tendonitis happens in the connective tissue called the tendon. This tissue becomes inflamed and immense pains occur in the tissues. It results in pain and swelling and can get worse with the movements of the body. It is a common disorder.

Mostly, shoulders and elbows are affected by tendonitis.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Gout	Tendonitis
Definition	Gout occurs due to the excessive uric acid in the body precipitates as crystals in the joints.	It occurs when a connective tissue of bone to a muscle called tendon became inflamed.
Symptoms	Pain, swollen joints, and redness are the symptoms.	Swelling and pain in the affected area are the symptoms.
Diagnosis	MRI and X-ray	Ultrasound and MRI
Cause	Joints like toe, knee, ankle, etc.	Mostly, shoulders and elbows are the affected parts.
Treatment	By anti-inflammatories, corticosteroid medicines.	By anti-inflammatories and by resting (not moving the affected part much)

What is Gout?

Gout is a disease that happens due to excessive uric acid present in the body.

This excess uric acid hastens out as crystals into the joints of the body. Mostly the affected parts are the joints like the ankle, knee, wrist, etc. And the toe is the most commonly affected part.

The symptoms of common are swelling, pain, and redness. It can be diagnosed by an MRI or X-ray or by examining the fluid present in the synovial cavity for the presence of uric acid.

Mostly, the medications which are used are anti-inflammatories, glucocorticoids, colchicine, and corticosteroid tablets.

It happens when the kidney does not excrete uric acid in an adequate amount. Then the uric acid levels increase in the blood and lead to gout.

The kidney not excreting an adequate amount of uric acid can happen due to the wrong diet, health problems, medical conditions like lymphoma and hemolytic anaemia, etc, or it can be genetic too.

There is a risk factor of having kidney stones and kidney damage if gout is not treated on time. And people with diabetes and hypertension can have immense effects of gout on their health.

To prevent gout, one should take a healthy diet, drink water and excrete urine frequently and should never hold on urine back.

What is Tendonitis?

Tendonitis is also known as Tendinitis and Tendinopathy. Tendonitis is a tendon disorder. Tendon is a connective tissue that connects muscles to bone.

Tendonitis occurs when a tendon is inflamed due to an injury or repetitive motion. Mostly, shoulders and elbows are affected by tendonitis.

It causes immense pain in the affected part of the body, as well as the affected part swallows. A person with tendonitis will also feel stiffness in the affected part.

Most people who do regular work or workouts, like gym trainers, dancers, athletes, manual labourers, etc., get affected by tendonitis.

Tendonitis is diagnosed by an ultrasound or MRI and is treated by anti-inflammatories medicine, physiotherapy, NSAIDs, ice packs, and suggesting rest (not moving the affected limb) as much as possible.

Generally, tendonitis occurs in body parts like shoulders, elbows, knees, hips, wrists, ankles, etc. Tendonitis has risk factors if not treated properly on time. It can lead to tendon rupture and permanent damage to the affected part.

Tendonitis is a relatively common disorder, and older people are affected by it. Tendonitis can lead to missing work for a large amount of time.

It takes up to 6 to 8 months to get better. Indeed, there are three types of tendonitis: Achilles tendonitis, Calcific tendonitis, and Patellar tendonitis.

Main differences Between Gout And Tendonitis

1. Gout occurs because of the excessive presence of uric acid in the body, while tendonitis happens because of a connective tissue being inflamed.
2. Gout mostly happens in joints like ankles, knees, toes, etc., while tendonitis happens in shoulders, elbows, etc.
3. Gout can lead to risk factors like kidney damage, tophi, etc. On the other hand, tendonitis can lead to risk factors like tendon rupture and permanent damage to the affected part.
4. Gout is diagnosed by examining the fluid present in the synovial cavity for the presence of uric acid or MRI. Tendonitis is diagnosed by an ultrasound or MRI.
5. Gout happens more in people who drink beer or sweet beverages or eat food that is high in purines. Tendonitis happens because of the repetitive motion of a limb, so it mostly occurs in labourers, athletes, musicians, etc.

References

1. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10067-016-3309-7
2. https://europepmc.org/article/med/9710855
3. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199602153340707

Last Updated : 17 August, 2023