What Can You Do to Relieve Foot Arthritis Pain?

If you’re living with the pain of foot arthritis, we know you’re hoping to find relief and preserve your mobility. And, here at our podiatry practice in DeSoto, TX, Dr. Lisa Brandy can help minimize your pain while keeping you active and even slowing down the progression of your disease. But how does foot arthritis affect your foot and ankle joints? And what are your treatment options? Here’s what you need to know.

Osteoarthritis of the Foot: Understanding the Effects of this Condition

When you have osteoarthritis anywhere in your body, you’ll have swelling and inflammation in the cartilage and lining of your affected joints. As a result, you may also experience joint pain and stiffness with movement. Now, osteoarthritis can attack any joint in your body. But because there are so many joints in your ankles and feet (66, to be exact), foot arthritis is a common problem for people affected by this disease.

What Causes Foot Arthritis?

While arthritis can attack at any time and any age, there are certain factors that increase the likelihood of developing this condition. First of all, genetics play a factor: if your parents or grandparents suffered from arthritis, you are more likely to be impacted.  Additional risk factors for foot arthritis include: 

  • Trauma or injury to the foot, especially if it did not heal properly 
  • Infections that are able to penetrate into your bones
  • Developing other forms of arthritis, including Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), or Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA)

The Impact of Arthritis on Your Feet

When your feet hurt, or when their joint mobility is limited, it’s hard for you to get through your daily tasks. Plus, it’s hard to rest your feet when arthritis causes pain, because you must put pressure on the joints every time you stand up or walk. As a result, unless you notice arthritis in its early stages and seek prompt intervention, this condition can become quite debilitating. 

Early-Stage Symptoms 

When first developing in your feet, signs of arthritis may not be so noticeable. However, if you can detect disease effects early on, we can prevent pain and loss of mobility while slowing disease progression. Here’s what you should look for: 

  • Changes to the shape of your foot, including new bunion development
  • Pain or tenderness around your joints, even if it comes and goes
  • Red or swollen foot joints
  • Skin that feels warm to the touch around a joint area
  • Rashes that develop on or near foot joints 
  • Experiencing stiffness at any time of the day, but especially when you first wake up in the morning  

Now, you may be wondering: I’m only experiencing problems in one foot. Does that mean I’m safe, or can arthritis affect only one foot? Well, here’s the story: this disease can affect one or both feet. And just because you initially experience symptoms in just one foot doesn’t mean they won’t progress to impact your other limb. 

Treating Foot Arthritis in DeSoto, TX

When it comes to arthritis, an earlier diagnosis can result in better pain management and disease control. But, regardless of when you begin treatment, you must remember that osteoarthritis is a disease without a cure. Our best hope is to delay progression and prevent cartilage and bone damage, since these two effects can’t be reversed. And, in order to prevent progression, we’ll begin treatment immediately after your diagnosis. 

Early-Stage Treatment for Foot Arthritis

If we catch your arthritis in its early stages, we can begin treatment by crafting a regular schedule of low-impact workouts for you to follow. You may also benefit from some physical therapy if you’re already experiencing some limits on your joint range of motion.  At the same time, we’ll likely suggest some medications to relieve your arthritis pain. For most patients at this stage of disease, taking ibuprofen daily will provide enough pain relief. However, because not all patients can tolerate this medication, we will carefully review your medical history and provide alternative options if necessary. One effective option may be managing your pain with our in-house laser therapy, designed to reduce pain without requiring you to take any medication. 

Advanced Arthritis Care

If foot arthritis progresses without intervention, your joints may sustain permanent damage. And, at that point, surgery may be your only treatment option. If that is the case, we’ll have to operate on your foot and fuse the affected joints—this can provide your foot with needed stability while keeping you mobile.  

Unfortunately, this type of foot surgery is highly invasive. And, during your recovery period, you may need to avoid bearing weight on your foot for as long as six months!  As such, we will always explore less invasive treatment options before recommending surgery. 

Luckily, there are many effective options.  We may recommend fitting you for an Ankle-Foot Orthotic (AFO), a special brace that minimizes your foot and ankle motion to take pressure off your damaged joints. Best of all, it can fit into your regular shoes, so it doesn’t become a disruptive intervention. 

Don’t worry—other treatment options are available. And they can be equally effective, without requiring surgery or extended down time. One such option is a special brace called an Ankle-Foot Orthotic, or AFO. Made to fit your specific anatomy, and designed to fit into your own shoes, this brace minimizes motion in the foot or ankle bones that have suffered arthritic damage, reducing pain and irritation. 

Looking to relieve the pain of foot arthritis without surgery? Want to stay active and live your life without the daily stiffness and discomfort?  We’re here to help! Just schedule a consultation Dr. Lisa Brandy. When you come into the office, she’ll create a customized treatment plan that will manage your pain and fit into your liefstyle! 

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Office Hours
Monday 8:00am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8:00am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8:00am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8:00am - 5:30pm
Friday 8:00am - Noon

Contact

p. (972) 293-9650
f.  (972) 291-2533

Location

1801 N. Hampton Road
Suite 340
DeSoto, TX 75115

Inside the Inwood National Bank Building on the 3rd Floor

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