You suffer from a dull, throbbing pain in the joints of your feet. Each foot is getting weaker and it is affecting your walking. Over time, the pain seems to be increasing. Will the pain continue to worsen?
Swelling in one or more joints of your feet, recurring joint pain, redness or heat in a joint, early morning stiffness, or limitation of motion of a joint, are symptoms of degenerative arthritis (osteoarthritis) of the foot. This condition slowly wears away joints. The bones rub against each other causing pain and swelling as joint lining erodes.
The good news is that degenerative arthritis can be treated. It is imperative, however, to begin treatment as early as possible, because doctors cannot reverse the destruction of cartilage.
Podiatrists are trained to diagnose and treat degenerative arthritis of the foot. The objectives of treatment include controlling inflammation and persevering joint function or restoring it if it has been lost.
Treatment options vary, because the effectiveness differs from patient to patient. Exercise and physical therapy, accompanied by medication, is a common choice. Podiatrists may recommend shoe inserts. Educating the patient is certainly essential.
You may be able to reduce the pain and swelling with medication if symptoms are mild. Ice, aspirin or ibuprofen may help relieve mild pain that occurs after activity. For severe cases, surgery is recommended to prevent joints from rubbing.
If you believe you are suffering from degenerative arthritis, you need to contact your podiatrist immediately. The key to relief from pain begins with a phone call.
Dr. Robert Abrams, DPM, is medical director of the FootCare Center of Santa Clarita. For more information, please call 661-253-3668 or visit www.killerfeet.net .