I believe there is a link between emotional stress and gout...

by SickOfStress
(California)

Recently after a terrible mix up with a self centered family member I had a horrible flare up of gout, at a location in my little finger where evidence of gout already existed in a small, not too painful knob, for about 2 years. The stress was VERY intense and so was the reaction. The knob became inflamed and I actually had to undergo an operation to (theoretically) save my finger, as a deadly bacterial infection had developed in the finger joint (dustal joint of right little finger). At least it seemed this way. I am a layman but I understand how things possibly COULD correlate. I had this knob for almost two years with no dangerous or painful inflamation. After the family stress incident, within only a day or so, my finger was inflammed to the point of medical emergency. This could also be due to my immune system reacting and weakening due to the horrible emotional stress load. But as I look at the bandaged right hand and think back at the chronology of events I do see a link between the terrible physical stress I felt during the fracaso and what came next, a swollen, dangerously infected finger.