The different kinds of arthritis that affect the feet
Rheumatoid arthritis: This affects both feet and the same joints in the individual foot.
Osteoarthritis: This affects the first metatarsophalangeal joint that connects your big toe. It also affects the ankle and midfoot.
Gout: It affects the foot especially the big toe and can be managed by treating a gout flare.
Ankylosing spondylitis: It can cause enthesitis, that is pain at the Achilles tendon and plantar fasciitis.
Psoriatic arthritis: This causes sausage-like swelling called dactylitis. It is accompanied by inflammations where ligaments and tendons are located. You are likely to experience the inflammation of the band of tissue and cause bony projections as bone spurs that can cause pain when the feet rub or press against the soft tissues.
Foot issues can be very uncomfortable to live with. If you are experiencing pain with your foot, contact the podiatrist at DeNiel Foot & Ankle Center. Our doctor can provide the care you need to keep you pain-free and on your feet. Your feet are in pain and you need to ease the pain, swelling, and stiffness.
Use pain medications that are available over-the-counter such as ibuprofen or aspirin. They will help reduce swelling, pain, and redness. However, ensure you contact your podiatrist before the short-term or long-term use of the medications because they can increase the chances of GI and cardiovascular issues. The foot doctor can prescribe a minimally absorbed systemically that will not cause side effects.
Proper footwear that is going to help you instead of hurt your feet. The footwear should accommodate arthritic joints, bunions, and hammertoes that happen along with arthritis. Proper footwear should have heel cups, cushioning, arch support, thick soles, and good shock absorption features.
Weight loss should be a goal because scale matters when it comes to arthritis. If you have a higher weight, you may experience severe arthritis. Any extra pound to your body frame means extra pounds pressure on your feet. Inflammation of the feet increases with the risk of excess body weight.
Move around more. It is hard to maintain an exercise program for healthy people, leave alone when you have joint pain making it more difficult. The benefits of exercises are to maintain joint function, reduce pain, relieve stiffness, and reduce fatigue. Well, you also get to shed excess weight by staying as active as possible.
Invest in custom-made orthotics that soothe arthritic foot pain. Custom-made orthotics are made to change the mechanics of the foot such as limit the big toe joint so that it cannot move while moving to reduce discomfort. You can request additional supportive cushioning that will accommodate your feet.
Alternative treatments, such as turmeric, help treat inflammatory arthritis and treating osteoarthritis. It is a spice that has antioxidant properties called curcumin that fights inflammation. Also recommended are chili peppers because they contain capsaicin that works nicely topically for the feet.
If you have been affected by