Tag: houston foot doctor

A bunion, usually a bony bump, that forms on the joint of the big toe. It means that some bones at the front of the foot have moved out of place, causing the big toe to pull towards the smaller toes, forcing the joint to stick out. The area around the joint is red and sore. The most obvious symptom of a bunion is a bulging lump at the joint of the toe. Avoid bunion surgery by seeking solutions immediately you notice bunion symptoms.

Causes of bunions

The exact cause of bunions is not known, but other likely reasons are

1. Foot deformities at birth.
2. Inherited foot type.
3. Foot injuries and stresses.
4. Some bunions have been linked to inflammatory rheumatoid arthritis.
5. Tight or too-narrow shoes or high-heeled shoes cause bunions though some experts disagree with this.

Other factors that increase the risk of developing bunions are:

• Wearing high heels is believed to be the number one risk factor. High heels force the toes to the front of the shoes causing the toes to cramp.
• Wearing too narrow or tight shoes, likely pointed, cause bunions due to pressure on the toes cramped together.
• The tendency to develop bunions might be a result of inherited anatomy or structure of the foot.
• If you have an underlying condition, such as rheumatoid arthritis, it likely favors the development of bunions.
• Adolescents, especially girls, are likely to get bunions. It is not known why, but doctors suspect the constant need to change footwear around this age as a contributing factor. However, bunions in adolescents and young people have not been linked to any underlying health condition.
• Bunionette forms at the little toe’s joint, often known as a tailor’s bunion, is caused by the pressure put on the side of the foot. It often happens due to sitting cross-legged for long hours, putting pressure on the side of the foot leading to bunions near the pinky toes.

Unless you seek bunion treatment Houston, bunions are permanent. However, several measures will make you comfortable and slow bunion progression. Some measures include

1. Maintain a healthy weight that does not put pressure on your feet.
2. Buy the gel-filled pad or moleskin from a drugstore for the protection of the bunion. You need to test the moleskin for a short time to determine if it helps ease pressure and pain.
3. Buy over-the-counter arch supports or shoe inserts that will position the foot correctly.
4. Following your podiatrist’s guidance, use a splint at night to ease the discomfort and hold the toe straight.
5. Take pain killers that are anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen.
6. Use massage, warm soaks, and icepacks regularly. If you have circulation problems, consult the foot doctor before using an icepack.
7. Buy proper fitting shoes with a wide toe box with room for your toes. The heels of the shoes should be lower than two inches.

Immediately you notice changes in the structure of the toe or foot, visit a bunion doctor to avoid complications such as stiff toe, chronic toe pain, and foot/toe deformity.

Over at DeNiel Foot and Ankle Center  located in Houston, Texas, and covering surrounding areas like Cypress, and Katy, TX. Ejodamen Shobowale, DPM and her highly skilled staff provide personalized comprehensive care for all your podiatry and sport medicine needs. Whether the issue is foot-related like hammertoes, or toenail fungus or involves pain in the heel , nerves, or joints, Dr. Sho, as she is fondly called, can get you back on your feet in no time.

Gout is an inflammatory arthritis affecting one joint at a time. The condition is also known as hyperuricemia, characterized by too much uric acid present in the body. The body is responsible for uric acid production as waste when it is breaking down purines from foods we eat. Once there is extra uric acid in the body, the acidic crystals build up in joints, tissues, and fluids inside the body. Hyperuricemia does not always cause gout, however, if the condition is without gout symptoms, there is no need to treat it.

Foods that cause gout

Foods trigger an attack by raising uric acid levels. Foods that cause gout are high in purine, a natural substance in foods. People with gout cannot efficiently remove excess uric acid from their bodies, causing accumulation and an attack.

Foods that trigger gout attacks contain moderate to a high number of purines.

• Organ meats include liver, brain, kidneys, and sweetbreads.
• Game meats like veal, pheasant, and venison.
• Seafood such as crab, shrimp, scallops, and roe.
• Fish including tuna, herring, haddock, trout, sardines, and mackerel.
• Sugar-sweetened beverages and fructose increase the risk of developing gout or cause gout attacks. These include sugary sodas and fruit juices.
• Added sugars such as honey, high -fructose corn syrup, and agave nectar.
• Yeasts including nutritional yeast, yeast supplements, and brewers’ yeast.
• Refined carbs from cakes, white bread, and cookies.

Gout symptoms

Gout symptoms can be sudden but often happen at night. When the symptoms are worse, they are called flares and when they are less noticeable it is known as remission.

• Joint pain, especially the large joint of your big toe, although it can happen on any joint on the ankles, elbows, fingers, and wrists. The pain is severe in the first 12 hours of happening.
• The discomfort usually happens after the pain subsides. It can last up to a few weeks, but later flares cause prolonged discomfort to the affected joints.
• Redness and inflammation of the affected joints.
• Limited range of motion for the affected joints.

 Gout treatment

Gout can be treated with medications and self-management strategies. Both methods have three roles to reduce inflammation, pain, and gout attacks. There are conventional treatments and traditional treatments.

Self-management strategies include adjusting your diet to reduce the number of acute gout attacks by lowering the level of uric acid in the blood. Some dietary adjustments include

• Eliminate or reduce alcohol (beer).
• Drink a lot of non-alcoholic drinks, mainly water.
• Eat non-fat or low-fat dairy products.
• Take soy products, low-fat dairy products, and vitamin C to prevent gout attacks.
• The intake of high-fat dairy products or full-fat products does not affect uric acid levels.
• Eating high purine vegetables does not trigger gout attacks.
• Take plant-based proteins like legumes and beans.
• Eat complex carbohydrates, vegetables, fruits, and whole-grain bread.

Medications

Classes of gout treatment medications are

• Xanthine oxidase inhibitors reduce uric acid produced by the body.
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that reduce inflammation and pain associated with a gout attack.
• Probenecid improves the function of the kidney and its ability to remove uric acid.

At DeNiel Foot and Ankle Center located in Houston, Texas, Ejodamen Shobowale, DPM and her caring staff strive to provide the best comprehensive care for all podiatry and sport medicine related issues. If the foot and ankle issue, is foot-related like toenail fungus or heel pain, or involves foot deformities such as bunions or hammertoes, the foot specialist at DeNiel Foot and Ankle Center can get you back on your feet as quickly as possible

The doctor can understand developmental problems in babies and conditions that occur later in life. The first interventions to foot and ankle problems are conservative management and visiting a podiatrist for treatment. No matter the foot condition, if the podiatrist determines that the pain and deformity are persistent, then foot surgery may be the better option. It helps restore the function of the foot and ankle while alleviating discomfort.

Testing and care

Undergoing foot and ankle surgical procedure follows undertaking examinations and tests. A foot doctor takes time to examine the medical history and medical conditions. An evaluation of your health is given to ensure a fruitful and improve the success of the procedure.

Types of foot surgery

Bunion surgery: It is offered depending on the severity of joint involvement and severity of the bunion. Your foot surgeon explains the appropriate procedure for your bunion and the recovery time needed.

Fusions: It is done to treat painful arthritic conditions. This procedure involves removing the cartilages from the joints then join the bones together with pins, screws, plates, or a combination of either, so they do not move.

Hammertoe surgery: Involves removing a portion of the bones in the toe to realign or fusing the joints in the toe. It might involve temporary wiring to hold the toes straight permanent implant or realigning.

Heel spur surgery: Based on the foot condition, this is done to relieve pain and restore mobility. Surgical enhancements and modifications ensure you experience relief due to plantar fascia release.

Metatarsal surgery: This procedure is done on the long bones of the feet behind the second, third, fourth, and fifth toes. The surgery is to distribute the body weight-bearing ball. In severe cases, the metatarsal heads are removed.

Nail surgery: Usually performed on infected, deformed, or damaged toenails. It is done under local anesthetic. Depending on the assessment, the nail may be partially or totally. There are two types of nail surgeries; avulsion that allows a new nail to grow back or matrixectomy that is permanent and does not allow any nail growth.

Neuroma surgery: It is the removal of benign enlargement of the nerve between the metatarsal heads. The procedure is done if the condition is causing numbness, burning, or tingling sensations to the toes.

Reconstructive surgery: It is a surgical repair, that is done to regain the stability and function to prevent deformity, reduce pain. There are different types of reconstructive surgery that repair foot bones.

Tendon Surgery: Done for acute injuries and chronic conditions such as to lengthen or shorten the tendon, to improve the ankle and foot function the tendons may be re-routed.

After surgery care

The kind of surgery and the length of recovery is determined by the type of surgical procedure performed. The basics of post-surgery care include plenty of rest, compression, ice, and elevation. Your doctor will determine the right time to be up and running your daily activities. Ensure you discuss further post-surgical procedure care with the best foot doctor Houston.