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What Causes Pain In The Foot And Ankles?
Pain in the foot and ankles starts from the joints and sometimes from the tendons and muscles around those joints. The foot and ankle pain can start anywhere from area along edge of toenail, back of ankle, bottom of foot, middle part of foot, toe or front part of foot or the heel.
This pain is worsened by activity or overuse, ill-fitting shoes, injury and long period of rest.
What Are The Symptoms And Diagnosis Of Foot And Ankle Pain?
Patients experience numbness or tingling feelings in the foot while walking or in seated position. Doctors also conduct physical examination to check for swelling, stiffness, thickened or rough skin. Examinations are also done to check for ability of the foot and ankle to bear weight and joint deformity.
Besides the physical examinations, doctors recommend x-ray or MRI scan to determine the cause or source of the pain in the foot and ankles. Examinations are also done to check for the impact of pre-existing diseases, that could possibly cause the pain in the ankle.
What Are The Pre-existing Diseases That Could Cause Pain In The Foot and Ankle?
Broken foot: Prior incidents of broken that were neglected or improper treatment could lead to severe pain in the ankle and foot.
Bunions: Located in the front part of the foot or toe, these are caused by use of ill-fitting shoes or overuse or. They are accompanied by swelling, joint deformity and redness.
Corns and calluses: Located in the heel, they are caused by repeated activity or overuse. Thickened or rough skin usually accompanies corns and calluses.
Other Ailments that trigger foot and ankle pain: Plantar warts, Osteoarthritis, Hammertoe and mallet toe, Rheumatoid arthritis, sprains and stress fractures.
How To Relieve Pain In The Foot?
Avoiding repeated activity and pressure on extensor tendonitis is the initial step in relieving pain. Apply an ice pack wrapped in a damp tea towel for 10 minutes every hour.
How Is Foot And Ankle Pain Treated?
The first step in the treatment of foot pain is finding proper footwear that has more room and is comfortable. Secondly, checking if the patient is overweight and recommending weight loss measures. A number of specific treatments can also help.
The following are other forms of treatment based on the condition of the foot and ankle:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): These drugs can help to relieve painful inflammation, for example in the arch or heel area.
- Steroid injections: A steroid injection may be recommended if just one or two joints are inflamed and painful, and it might help inflamed tendons and bursae, neuromas and plantar fasciitis.
- Surgery: Surgery is sometimes recommended to improve the structure of the feet. If other treatments do not help, then surgery is suggested to correct valgus heel or hammer toes, remove a neuroma or rheumatoid nodule, remove part of the bone from a bunion and reshape your toes.
What Are The Recommended Foot Care Measures To Relieve Foot And Ankle Pain?
A good, regular footcare will usually keep problems to a minimum. They include: washing feet daily and drying them thoroughly, especially between your toes; use a dedicated foot cream with 100% urea concentration for dry skin; cut your toenails every six to eight weeks; treat minor cuts, blisters or grazes by covering them with a dressing and keeping them dry; and finally for ulcers on the feet, make sure to apply an appropriate dressing to broken skin and take advice from the doctor.