18 days, my big left toe hurts. swelling on ball, toe hurts to lift and bend down.3 day bruising around joint.arch hurts. needle pain on end big toe.

Oh Boy, Not Fun.: Since you did not mention that your suffered an injury to the toe, there must be something else going on. You paint a very convincing picture of a mildly acute gout attack. The inflamed big toe joint is not so much red as it is more of a darker plum color. It will hurt to move in any direction and the swelling is sometimes pronounced. This is diagnosed clinically so you need to see a doctor.