What Are the Treatments for Psudeo Gout?

Pseudogout is a type of arthritis that mimics the symptoms of gout, such as sudden inflammation and pain of one joint. Often, pseudogout affects the knee, where it makes walking and everyday activities difficult, requiring treatment.

Identification

• Treatments for pseudogout include resting the joint, the use of prescription medications and a combination of joint aspiration and corticosteroid injections.

Function

• The aim for all of the treatments for pseudogouts is to eliminate the inflammation that causes swelling and pain. Joint aspiration does so by removing accumulated fluid in your joints, while oral and injectable medications directly decrease inflammation.

Types of Medications

• Oral medications used to treat pseudogout include over-the-counter and prescription non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications like naproxen, ibuprofen and indomethacin as well as the prescription colchicine.

Time Frame

• Neither the oral nor the injectable medications for pseudogout are appropriate for long term use and are typically only prescribed until your symptoms improve.

Risks

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs pose a risk for gastrointestinal bleeding in some patients, while colchicine has the potential to cause nausea, stomach pain, diarrhea and vomiting, reports the Mayo Clinic. Corticosteroid injections increase your risk for developing bacterial and viral infections and sometimes lead to shrinkage of soft tissue surrounding your joints or loss of skin color in the area of injection.