Symptoms Checker

Elbow Pain:

We're sorry you have elbow pain!

Please take a few minutes to answer some questions and this guide will provide some of the more likely causes and provide some helpful information. The guide is not intended to replace a face-to-face evaluation with your doctor.

The diagnoses provided are among the most common that could explain your symptoms, but the list is not exhaustive and there are many other possibilities. In addition, more than one condition may be present at the same time. For example, a person with rheumatoid arthritis could also have ulnar neuropathy because swelling in the elbow compresses the nearby nerve.

Do you have severe elbow pain as well as any of the following symptoms:

• fever
• redness
• marked swelling
• inability to use the joint
• or recent significant trauma (a fall, car accident, etc.)?

Gout:

We're sorry to hear you have gout (or may have gout).

The goal of this guide is to provide information while awaiting evaluation with your doctor or additional information after you have seen him or her. Please keep in mind that this guide is not intended to replace a face-to-face evaluation with your doctor.

First, some background information about this guide and about the condition itself:

Gout is a condition in which one or more joints become inflamed when crystals of urate (also called uric acid) deposit there. Urate is a byproduct of normal bodily functions and is removed from the body by the kidneys.

This guide will ask you a series of questions and depending on your answers, information will be provided and additional questions asked until the conclusion where a series of links for more information will be provided. Or you may choose additional general information about gout.

Hand Pain:

Sorry to hear you have hand pain.

The goal of this guide is to provide information while awaiting evaluation with your doctor, or for additional information after you have seen him or her. Please keep in mind that this guide is not intended to replace a face-to-face evaluation with your doctor.

Hand pain may develop for a number of reasons -- fracture and infection are among the most serious while sprains and strains are among the most common. At the end of this guide, you will see links to more detailed information about the most common causes of hand pain; however, there are rare causes of symptoms that will not be included here and would require more detailed evaluation than this guide can provide.

Certain symptoms suggest a serious cause of hand pain that requires prompt attention. It's important to ask questions about these symptoms first.

Nail Problems:

Sorry to hear you have a problem with your nail(s).

Please keep in mind that this guide is not intended to replace a face-to-face evaluation with your doctor. The goal of this guide is to provide information while awaiting evaluation with your doctor or additional information after you have seen him or her.

Nail problems may develop for a number of reasons -- skin inflammation, an ingrown nail, and psoriasis are among the most common, but an infection is among the most serious. Any problem in the nail that does not improve over time should be evaluated by your physician.

At the end of this guide, you will be offered links to more detailed information about the most common nail problems; however, there are rare causes that will not be included here and would require more detailed evaluation than this guide can provide.

Raynaud's:

Welcome to the Raynaud's Decision Guide.

We're sorry to hear you have Raynaud's!

The goal of this guide is to provide information while awaiting evaluation with your doctor, or additional information after you have seen him or her. Please keep in mind that this guide is not intended to replace a face-to-face evaluation with your doctor. The diagnoses provided are among the most common that could explain your symptoms, but the list is not exhaustive and there are many other possibilities. In addition, more than one condition may be present at the same time. For example, a person with Raynaud's could also have osteoarthritis that is unrelated.

This guide is intended for persons who have Raynaud's -- you may hear it called Raynaud's phenomenon, disease, or syndrome. Whatever the name, the basic problem in this condition is vasospasm -- that is, a blood vessel (the "vaso" part) suddenly constricts (the "spasm" part), usually after exposure to cold. Then, not enough blood can flow to the finger, toe or whatever part is affected. This is an exaggeration of the normal behavior of blood vessels. Tiny nerves tell the artery to open or close, depending on the situation. Usually with cold exposure, blood vessels constrict, or close a bit, to conserve heat, but for people with Raynaud's, that mechanism is overactive. The cause is not known. People with Raynaud's notice intensely cold fingers or toes, numbness, pain, and a color change -- typically from white to blue to red, and, eventually, back to normal, over a number of minutes.

Most people with Raynaud's (up to 90 percent or more) are otherwise healthy and have no other medical conditions. Raynaud's is quite common -- up to ten percent of healthy young women report symptoms suggestive of Raynaud's. The associated conditions, on the other hand, are rather rare, and include lupus, scleroderma and CREST syndrome, among others. There will be an opportunity to learn more about these conditions at the end of this guide.

Now, let's move on to the specifics of your situation.

Besides the Raynaud's, do you have one or more of the following:

• tight, thickened skin over the fingers, hands, arms and/or face
• pain in multiple joints that is worse in the morning
• a chronic (long-standing) rash
• chronic dry eyes and dry mouth
• chest pain when you take a deep breath
• severe reflux disease (also called GERD, a form of heartburn)?

Shoulder Pain:

We're sorry you have shoulder pain!

The goal of this guide is to provide information while awaiting evaluation with your doctor, or for additional information after you have seen him or her. Please keep in mind that this guide is not intended to replace a face-to-face evaluation with your doctor. The diagnoses provided are among the most common that could explain your symptoms, but the list is not exhaustive and there are many other possibilities. In addition, more than one condition may be present at the same time. For example, a person with rheumatoid arthritis could also have tendonitis.

The shoulder is prone to developing pain in part because its anatomy is complex and because it has the largest range of motion of any joint in the body. Some of these muscles, tendons, and bursae are common causes of shoulder pain, even when the joint itself is fine.

Do you have severe shoulder pain with the following symptoms:

• fever
• redness
• marked swelling
• inability to use the joint
• recent significant trauma (a fall, car accident, etc.)?

Wrist Pain:

We're sorry you have wrist pain!

The goal of this guide is to provide information while awaiting evaluation with your doctor, or for additional information after you have seen him or her. Please keep in mind that this guide is not intended to replace a face-to-face evaluation with your doctor. The diagnoses provided are among the most common that could explain your symptoms, but the list is not exhaustive and there are many other possibilities. In addition, more than one condition may be present at the same time. For example, a person with rheumatoid arthritis could also have tendonitis.

The wrist is prone to pain because it is frequently overused and has a complicated anatomy, with many structures packed into a small space.

Certain symptoms suggest a serious cause of wrist pain that requires prompt attention. It's important to ask questions about these symptoms first.

Do you have severe wrist pain and any of the following symptoms:

• fever
• redness
• marked swelling
• inability to use the joint
• recent significant trauma (a fall, car accident, etc.)?