The most common types of arthritis experienced in the feet are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and post-traumatic arthritis. There can be some other types as well. These are psoriatic arthritis of foot, Reiter's syndrome, and ankylosing spondylitis.
All these conditions cause discomfort, including pain that ranges from an intensity of mild to very sharp. Your feet may swell and redden because of this condition.
Symptoms
Mild to Severe Pain
The human foot has over 30 joints and 28 bones. An injury due to a fall or wear and tear due to aging often causes inflammation of one or many of these joints. This causes mild to severe pain in the foot, toes, heel or even arches, which you absolutely cannot ignore, as it prohibits you from doing even routine chores. Thus, we can say that pain is one of the first-noticed indications of arthritis.
Swelling
This is one of the most visible symptoms that you should look out for. The human body has a set mechanism to treat anything that goes wrong. When there is inflammation of the joints in your feet, they receive an increased supply of blood for treatment, which results in the swelling of the area. The body tends to take the tissues in the joint as foreign bodies and tries to destroy them. Hence, medical treatment is the right and only answer for this condition, as you need immune system suppressants to bring it under control.
Redness and Heat
Because of inflammation and an increase in the number of blood vessels in the affected foot, you may get a feeling of increased body heat. The same reason causes reddening of the feet as well. These sensations and the redness usually disappear after treatment of the condition.
Appearance of Claw-like Feet
In cases of rheumatoid arthritis, due to dissolution of joint tissues, it becomes very difficult to stretch the feet, extend them, or flex the toes. This gives them a clawed appearance. The onset of such a condition requires immediate orthopedic attention.
Stiffness of Foot
Another common indication is a feeling of stiffness or unresponsiveness, and feet feel numb and unresponsive. This might be because the affected joints are unable to react in accordance with the signal received from the brain. This can be accompanied by pain, though it is not always the case. Though this stiffness is observed in a majority of cases, it may not be experienced by everyone.
Difficulty in Walking
Because of one or more of the above-mentioned indications, it becomes quite difficult to walk. The motions in the joints get reduced to a significant extent, and difficulty in walking greatly affects the day-to-day life. Taking rest and following the remedial options assigned to you will assist in treatment.
No doubt, arthritis is very uncomfortable and makes your life miserable. Fortunately, there are efficacious treatments available in large numbers, out of which physical therapy and exercises come first. Generally, these painful symptoms are known to lessen or disappear with medication and other remedies. However, it is advisable to take these medications only if they are prescribed by a medical practitioner.
From your side, you can wear comfortable footwear with a high and wide toe box that will accommodate your strained toes very well. Avoid indulging in foods that are believed to elevate the symptoms associated with this condition. Needless to say, a healthy diet will boost your immune system and keep all these problems away.
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