My big toe suddenly felt extreme pain and turned red and felt hot to the touch. it has been about 7 hours and is still very painful, red, is throbbing, and hurts to touch. do i need to get this checked out? there is a tiny red spot that looks as though i

Need eval: Sounds like infection but could also be acute attack of gout (rare at your age but possible). Bottom line, you need to have this evaluated ASAP. Best of luck with this. Dr R

Get it checked out: A swollen, painful, red toe that occurs suddenly without trauma is common presentation of gout, although gout is unusual in someone your age. Another possibility is a septic joint (caused by infection) which can be potentially serious. You should definitely get this checked out as soon as possible.

Dang nab it.: Whenever I examine a patient with the symptoms you describe in the big toe, I have to consider gout. Even though teenagers usually are not afflicted with this painful condition, it can and does happen. Remove all doubt, and get it seen immediately, for several reasons. Pain relief and definitive diagnosis are important but also to eliminate any possibility of a potentially serious infection.