Arthritis is a painful condition that often affects the ankles and feet. Unfortunately, the condition can prevent people from walking. The most common forms of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis is caused by degeneration that occurs as people age. On the other hand, rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease of the immune system. The immune system malfunctions and attacks joints, causing pain and inflammation.
Many individuals with arthritis decide to see a Foot Specialist. For instance, the Foot &Ankle Specialists of NJ have experience treating arthritic feet. The physician will ask several questions, including:
- where is the pain?
- is the pain worse at certain times?
- is the pain in both feet?
Interestingly, painful ankles and feet affect the way a person walks. The physician watches the patient walk and examines their shoes. Irregular wear and tear on a shoe lets the physician know if someone is favoring one leg or the other. Often, the patient is prescribed inserts for their shoes. In addition, the patient performs exercises to let the physician know how strong the feet and ankles are. Other tests are done, including x-rays and bone scans. Weight-bearing x-rays are the best tool to measure how serious the arthritis is. Further, any joint deformity shows up on the x-ray. Likewise, x-rays showing abnormal spacing between bones indicates cartilage loss. On the other hand, a bone scan is used to view the condition of bones.
There is no cure for arthritis, but the Foot Specialist can provide some relief. Many individuals wear braces for support. Likewise, custom-made shoe inserts can reduce pain when walking. Many physicians inject patients in the joint with cortisone. The medicine reduces pain and swelling and lasts several months. Additionally, NSAIDs can be used to relieve inflammation. In limited cases, a physician may recommend surgery. Arthroscopic surgery is used to clean out the joint if there is not a lot of degeneration already. Physicians warn that the procedure is not always effective and can speed up the disease’s progression. Painful feet prevent people from doing many of their normal activities. Try to find a solution and start living again. You can also follow them on Google+.
