Treatment For Painful Joints
Unfortunately, there is not always a cure for arthritis but you dont need to suffer and be limited in your activities. With appropriate treatment, our patients are often able to stay active and live with much less pain. Therefore, getting treatment as early as possible is essential.
After a lower extremity exam, gait analysis and x-rays, Dr. Silver can determine the best treatment plan for you. This may include medications, injection therapy, prescription foot orthotics, ankle/foot orthotics , special accommodative shoes or physical therapy. Surgery may also be necessary to alleviate arthritic spurring and/or pain and to keep you walking and wearing shoes comfortably.
You dont need to suffer any longer with joint pain in your feet or ankles when Dr. Silver and the staff at the Westwood Foot Clinic can help make a difference in your life!
or call now for an appointment with Dr. Silver at the Westwood Foot Clinic in Golden Valley, MN.
So Whats The Overarching Verdict So Far
Ambivalent at best. It will be very difficult and time consuming to eat enough ginger, green tea, black pepper, etc. to truly alleviate your RA symptoms in the most optimal way. By the time you ate enough cinnamon stiff joints might not be your only concern anymore. So, now what?
7. Lab Grade Turmeric + Lab Grade Boswellia SerrataThe combination of these trusted remedies is a ONE-TWO PUNCHYouve probably used turmeric while cooking before its a yellow spice that most people associate with curry dishes. Know what it reminds RA sufferers of? Relief. Its true that turmeric is another anti-inflammatory agent. But, what makes this remedy a little different is that youre not just ingesting turmeric. Its the lab grade organic turmeric CO2 extraction that is the key player here. Were talking about the extraction of pure turmeric into a pill or oil form.
Know whats great about this? You dont have to worry about the dosage of eating a bunch of curry. You can take a pill or rub some oil that has the optimal dose for relief of your RA pain. In its un-extracted form, were talking about the spice, the herb. The same thing you flavor your dishes with. And, truthfully, in this capacity, it probably has similar effectiveness to the other six natural remedies mentioned above. With CO2 extraction though, youre extracting the most pure form of turmeric , to aid in your relief.
Exercise Tips For Arthritic Feet And Ankles
Pain in the feet and ankles is commonplace for arthritis sufferers, especially as aging causes a progression of the condition. The human foot has 30 joints, and each one can become a source of pain and stiffness.
At Washington Foot & Ankle Sports Medicine in Kirkland, Washington, our podiatrists work with you to help mitigate the effects of arthritis on your feet and ankles. Part of living with arthritis is staying active, so here are seven exercises tips you can implement for better flexibility and reduced inflammation.
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See Your Doctor For Arthritis In The Feet
If you have arthritis in your feet, have your feet checked by a rheumatologist or podiatrist at least once a year, Dr. Frisch says.
We recommend yearly visits to be sure there arent any changes in your feet and to see whether any devices you may have been given, such as braces or orthotics, are working appropriately,” says Frisch. “And if youre having pain, dont wait for your yearly visit. See your doctor right away.
What Causes Arthritis In Feet
Arthritis may develop for a number of reasons and is associated with a variety of illnesses. The types of arthritis that most commonly affect the feet are:
Osteoarthritis, the most common type of foot arthritis, is a condition in which joint cartilage is damaged as a result of wear and tear that occurs over time.
It is also known as degenerative arthritis because it progresses slowly and the associated pain and stiffness generally worsen.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an irritation of the joint lining that results when ones own immune system attacks and destroys cartilage. This inflammatory disease usually affects multiple joints in the body.
Post-traumatic arthritis can develop after an injury to the foot, such as a broken bone, torn ligament, or moderate ankle sprain. It may not manifest until years after the injury, and may occur regardless of whether the joint injury was initially treated.
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Symptoms Of Arthritis In Your Feet
Like most other cases of arthritis, having arthritis in your feet can be painful. Some of the most common symptoms include the following:
- Pain when you move your feet or ankles
- Tenderness when you touch affected joints
- Swelling or redness of affected joints
- Difficulty standing or putting pressure on your feet
- Pain or swelling even when at rest
While these symptoms can give you a pretty good idea that you have arthritis, the best way to know for sure is to have a doctor take a look. Your doctor may use imaging technology, such as an MRI, X-rays, or CT scans, to confirm that you have arthritis in your feet or ankles.
Lifestyle Changes For Foot Arthritis
A few changes to your daily life can help you feel better and may keep your arthritis from getting worse.
- If a certain activity triggers a flare-up of symptoms, try to keep it to a minimum.
- Instead of high-impact exercises like jogging, do low-impact ones like swimming or cycling.
- Keep a healthy weight so your joints arenât under as much stress.
Show Sources
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases : “What Is Osteoarthritis?” and “Hand Out on Health: Osteoarthritis.”
National Institute on Aging: “Age Page: Arthritis Advice.”
American Podiatric Medical Association: âArthritis.â
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons: âArthritis of the Foot and Ankle.â
Arthritis Foundation: âWhen Foot Pain May Mean Arthritis,â âPsoriatic Arthritis.â
Mayo Clinic: âArthritis.â
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When To Visit A Podiatrist
Because arthritis can affect the structure and function of the feet, it is important to see a doctor of podiatric medicine if any of the following symptoms occur in the feet:
- Swelling in one or more joints
- Recurring pain or tenderness in any joint
- Redness or heat in a joint
- Limitation in motion of joint
- Early morning stiffness
- Skin changes, including rashes and growths
Foot And Ankle Osteoarthritis Treatment
Treatment options for foot osteoarthritis are aimed at relieving symptoms. There are non-surgical and surgical options. Your healthcare provider will likely recommend one or more non-surgical options first. Non-surgical options include:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or analgesics
- Shoe inserts
- Orthotics
- Braces
- Physical therapy or exercise
- Steroid injections
If non-surgical options are ineffective, your healthcare provider may suggest surgery to relieve pain and restore function. Common surgeries for foot and ankle osteoarthritis include arthroscopy, joint fusion, or joint replacement.
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Set A Weight Loss Goal
When it comes to arthritis, what your scale says really matters. People with a higher body weight are diagnosed with arthritis at an earlier age and have more severe arthritis. It makes sense: Feet are a weight-bearing joint, so obesity makes arthritis worse, says Dr. Domingues. Even one extra pound on your frame can equal about five extra pounds of force on your feet. Losing 20 pounds can mean sparing your feet from an extra 100 pounds of force with every stride.
Excess body weight also increases inflammation, which fuels the painful symptoms of inflammatory types of arthritis like rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. Its not easy to lose weight when you have stiff or sore joints, but even a five- to 10-percent reduction in body weight has been shown to dramatically diminish joint pain and improve exercise tolerance. Check out these weight loss tips that are especially helpful when you have arthritis.
Exercises For Arthritis In The Toe
Keeping the toe joint limber and lubricated could be a good defense against pain in the MTP joint.
Extension exercises can help improve range of motion in the toehow far you can move itwhile potentially reducing pain. Start with the toe in its regular position and then bend it up and down with your hands, holding each bend for 30 seconds.
Flexibility exercises are also helpful, and can be performed by crossing the affected foot over your knee. Gently grab the foot behind the toe joint using your opposite hand. Making sure the foot is held stationary the entire time, use your hand to gently pull the toe away from the foot. Hold the position and gently rotate the toe in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.
Dorsiflexion exercises are also recommended and can help with pain and mobility. Cross your affected foot over the opposite knee and bend your toe backwards as far as possible with your hand. Making sure there is no pain, hold for about 20 to 30 seconds and then relax.
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Find A Community That Understands
Theres no reason to go through a psoriatic arthritis diagnosis or long-term journey alone. With the free PsA Healthline community, you can join a group and participate in live discussions, get matched with community members for a chance to make new friends, and stay up to date on the latest Psa news and research.
How Do You Treat Foot And Ankle Arthritis Without Surgery
Non-surgical methods to treat foot and ankle arthritis include: Weight control. Custom-made shoes or orthotics. Inserts that support the ankle and foot. Bracing for joint suport. Using a cane or walker to take stress off the affected joint. Physical therapy. Anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce swelling in the joints. Pain relievers.
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Hot And Cold Compresses
Hot and cold treatments can help during flare-ups, but how you use them depends on your needs. A hot compress is used to relax muscles and lubricate joints to relive stiffness, while a cold compress is to reduce swelling and inflammation.
Using heat before activity is worthwhile, and cold therapy should be applied afterwards if pain and inflammation occurs.
Arthritis In The Feet Symptoms
Arthritis in the Feet Symptoms can be due to rheumatoid arthritis in the feet or osteoarthritis in the feet. They both cause pain, tenderness to the touch, swelling, redness and sometimes the inability to walk normally. Here are the most common arthritis in the feet symptoms you should be aware of:
- Pain in either or both feet
- Tenderness on touch or movement
- Stiffness, especially after inactivity
- Inability to move feet normally
- Redness in the joints of your fee
- Swelling around the joints
- Difficulty walking
If your foot pain isn’t caused by an injury and you have any of the above symptoms you may be dealing with foot arthritis. There is plenty you can do to stop the progression of your arthritis and even reverse it if you start treating it as soon as possible. Natural treatments for foot arthritis can help you heal and gain greater mobility without harmful procedures like foot surgery or sometimes fatal side effects from prescriptions medicines.
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When To See Your Doctor
Each person is different. Depending on whats causing the swelling, some of these remedies might not be effective all of the time for everyone. If one doesnt work, dont hesitate to try another or use one in conjunction with another.
If none of these home remedies alleviate your swollen feet or you notice other symptoms that accompany your swollen feet, call your doctor. These symptoms could indicate an underlying health condition that needs to be treated. Your doctor may prescribe diuretics if they think that medical steps are necessary to reduce the fluid retention.
If youre pregnant, ask your obstetrician before taking any supplements or before increasing your activity level. If you have any medical conditions or take any medications, check with your doctor before adding a supplement. Even natural supplements and vitamins can interfere with medications, so its always good to touch base first.
Get Foot Pain Relief With Arthritis
Need some foot pain relief? If you are older than 60, you may find yourself saying Oh, my aching feet! often. According to the Arthritis Foundation, close to half of people in their sixties and seventies suffer from arthritis foot pain. In fact, the damage starts even sooner: Beginning in your forties, your feet begin to show wear and tear, explains Dennis Frisch, a doctor of podiatric medicine in Boca Raton, Florida.
Arthritis is inflammation in or around the joints that results in swelling, pain, and stiffness. It can generally be divided in two categories:
- Osteoarthritis and other wear-and-tear types of arthritis
- Inflammatory arthritis
Osteoarthritis, the most common kind of arthritis, affects millions of people worldwide. This type of arthritis occurs over time and by overuse. The cartilage between the bones at your pivotal joints wears away. As a result, your bones grind against each other, causing pain and swelling. Very often osteoarthritis also causes degeneration of the cartilage at the base of your big toe, resulting in big toe joint pain. Bony spurs then develop at the joint there, followed by pain in the big toe and decreased motion of the joint.
Arthritis in the feet causes pain and a loss of strength, flexibility, or exercise ability. For millions of people with arthritis in the feet, simple daily tasks such as walking out to get the mail can be painful. Eventually, walking may become nearly impossible.
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How Will It Affect Me
Osteoarthritis can affect people in different ways, but the most common symptoms of osteoarthritis are:
- pain and swelling in the affected joints
- stiffness, especially if you havent moved for a while
- joints looking bigger than normal.
Some people with osteoarthritis can hear grating or crunching noises when moving their feet and ankles. You may also feel unsteady on your feet.
You may have an achy feeling in your feet, especially if youve been particularly active or worn high heels. Some people also get pain in their feet at night.
In the ankle, osteoarthritis could cause your ligaments to become weaker, which could put more strain on the cartilage. You might also find the muscles around your ankle become weaker over time, and it may feel painful to walk or put weight on your ankle.
The repair process in osteoarthritis can cause spurs to form on the edge of your bones. These are known as osteophytes and change the shape of your joint. Sometimes bone and cartilage can break away and float inside the joint, which could cause more pain and swelling.
If you think you might have osteoarthritis of the foot or ankle, its important to visit your GP, so they can diagnose you and start treatment as soon as possible. If youve been diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the foot or ankle, its important to know that your symptoms probably wont get worse, and they may even improve.
Consult A Physical Therapist
Physical therapy absolutely comes into play when trying to manage arthritis foot pain and there are all kinds of PT modalities that can be used to decrease inflammation, including massage, whirlpool, cold packs, ultrasound, and lasers, Dr. Spielfogel says. Once the initial inflammation has been reduced, a physical therapist will develop a program of stretching and strengthening to restore flexibility and improve strength to increase balance and reduce stress on the foot joints.
Dr. Sutera finds that patients in the earlier stages of arthritis benefit the most from physical therapy, as they often still have flexibility and mostly need help restoring their balance.
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Other Natural Remedies For Toe Arthritis
Lose weight: Any added stress on your feet can make toe arthritis symptoms worse. If youre overweight, try making some lifestyle changeslike eating healthier and getting more activityto help you lose some of the extra weight. It can also help improve circulation to the area.
Add healthy fats to your diet: Fatty acids, particularly omega-3s, can help reduce inflammation and may help limit the symptoms of arthritis. Some studies have also shown that these acidsDHA and EPAmay suppress the immune system to limit arthritic flare-ups. Salmon and other fatty fish are the best sources and supplements are widely available.
Try some turmeric:Turmeric is a plant native to India and Indonesia and is a common ingredient in curries. Curcumina notably active compound in turmericmay be able to reduce pain, inflammation, and stiffness related to RA, OA, and bursitis. You can supplement or try adding more turmeric to your diet.
What Causes Arthritis
Arthritis can occur as a result of the following:
- Heredity
- Immune system dysfunction rheumatoid arthritis & systemic lupus erythematosus
- Bacterial & viral infections organisms found in infections such as pneumonia & staph
- Bowel disorders colitis, ileitis & other common bowel disorders .
- Drug use prescribed & illegal street drugs.
- Defective genes
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What Else Can I Do
There are other treatments that may help you deal with pain and stiffness:
- Medicines: Many different types of medicines can help the symptoms of arthritis. Your doctor or pharmacist can help you understand which medicines are right for you and how best to use them.
- Heat and cold: Applying heat, such as a hot pack , heating pad or hot water bottle, to stiff, painful joints may help relieve these symptoms. If your joints are hot and swollen you may find it useful to apply an ice pack. Try applying heat or cold to the painful area for 15 minutes. Always have a layer between your skin and the heat or ice pack. You can repeat this whenever you need to throughout the day. Make sure the temperature of the skin returns to normal in between applying heat or ice packs to prevent damage to the tissues.
- Creams: Applying creams or ointments containing anti-inflammatory medicines or capsaicin may help control pain. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about these types of creams.
- Glucosamine and chondroitin: It is unclear if glucosamine or chondroitin are useful for feet affected by arthritis.
- Fish oils:Fish oils may be useful for some forms of arthritis that affect the feet.
- Herbal therapies: There is no conclusive proof that herbal medicines are effective in treating arthritis of the feet.
CONTACT YOUR LOCAL ARTHRITIS OFFICE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND SUPPORT SERVICES.