Recent Blog Articles
Using weight loss or sports supplements? Exercise caution
Not yet ready for cataract surgery? Try these tips
Back to the future: Psychedelic drugs in psychiatry
Children not yet vaccinated against COVID-19? What to do
HIV rates rising: Could new forms of PrEP help?
Careful! Scary health news can be harmful to your health
Post-pandemic weight loss: There’s an app for that
Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia by telemedicine: Is it as good as in-person treatment?
Prediabetes diagnosis as an older adult: What does it really mean?
Is blood sugar monitoring without diabetes worthwhile?
Pseudogout (CPPD)
What Is It?
Pseudogout is a form of arthritis triggered by deposits of calcium crystals (calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate) in the joints. It is also called calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease (CPPD). This disease can cause short-term or long-term swelling in joints, most often the knee, wrist, shoulder, ankle, or elbow.
As the name suggests, this condition can appear similar to gout, which is caused by another type of crystal – uric acid crystals – and commonly causes sudden pain and swelling in a single joint, usually in the foot. Pseudogout also can resemble osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.
To continue reading this article, you must log in.
Subscribe to Harvard Health Online for immediate access to health news and information from Harvard Medical School.
- Research health conditions
- Check your symptoms
- Prepare for a doctor's visit or test
- Find the best treatments and procedures for you
- Explore options for better nutrition and exercise
I'd like to receive access to Harvard Health Online for only $4.99 a month.
Sign Me UpAlready a member? Login ».
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.