Arthritis of the feet: treatment and causes

Pain in the legs, swelling and redness of the foot skin - all this may be symptoms of a disease such as arthritis. The disease significantly worsens a person's ability to work, because walking becomes painful. There are many reasons why arthritis occurs in the foot . Treatment of the disease should be started immediately, as there is a risk of complications that will require surgical intervention, and may lead to disability.

Features of the disease

Arthritis is considered widespread and at the same time one of the most painful ailments. It is characterized by an inflammatory process in the joint that occurs for many reasons, and if untimely treatment leads to their destruction.

Earlier, arthritis was considered a disease of the elderly. But recently it is diagnosed even in 35-year-olds. The disease affects both men and women.

Principle of development

At the ends of the bones that connect with each other, there is an elastic cartilage with a strong porous structure. Its task is to perform an amortization function, so that a person can jump, run, and the bones do not suffer at the same time.

The junction of such cartilage is in a capsule, which is called a "protective joint capsule". It is airtight, but structurally dense. Inside this capsule is a synovial fluid, designed to lubricate the joint, so that, in turn, slides well when moving. In addition to all this, this liquid nourishes the cartilage, does not allow it to dry out and quickly wear out.

Because of a large number of causes in the articular cartilage develops inflammation, which in medicine is called arthritis. The disease can affect any joint.

Kinds

Depending on the cause, arthritis is divided into:

• Primary (the main cause - damage to the joint);
• Secondary (develops as a result of other pathologies).

The disease can be acute and chronic. In acute form the ailment develops rapidly, with significant pain and stiffness of movements. The chronic form is characterized by a slow process with periods of exacerbation and remission.

Varieties of arthritis that affect the joints of the foot:

1. Rheumatoid arthritis of the foot. The reason - the violation of the immune system. This species is able to destroy small joints that are in the foot. Joints begin to thicken, deform, cause a person significant pain. Often rheumatoid arthritis develops so rapidly that in a few years the patient becomes disabled. This type of disease affects even young people, more often it is diagnosed in men.
2. Osteoarthritis. This is a secondary disease, the basis of which is arthrosis. Cartilage tissue is destroyed gradually. On the joint appear outgrowths, the foot begins to deform. Diagnosed as in men, and in women, more often in old age.
3. Gouty arthritis. Symptoms and treatment of this kind have their own characteristics. It develops as a result of impaired uric acid metabolism, which leads to urate deposits in the joints. In general, the big toe suffers, where the "cone" is formed. Most often this type of disease is diagnosed in men of age.
4. Reactive arthritis. The reason is a transferred infectious disease, weakened immunity. Such arthritis develops lightning fast. In the risk zone, most often middle-aged men fall.

There is also the concept of monoarthritis (lesion of one joint) and polyarthritis (lesion of several joints).

Causes

The fact that everything in the body is interconnected is a well-known fact. Any pathological process affects the general health, including can cause arthritis. The causes of the ail are manifold:

1. Autoimmune conditions. The body produces antibodies, which begin to kill their own cells, taking them for alien. From this, the cartilaginous tissue can also suffer.
2. Various infections. If a capsule gets a bacterium or fungus, it will lead to inflammation. As a result, the cartilaginous tissue will begin to break down. Often the cause is streptococcal infection, tuberculosis and chlamydia. They provoke the body to destroy its own cells, which justifies their danger.
3. Any injuries. If a person falls, hit hard, it can lead to injury to the cartilaginous tissue, the appearance of cracks in it. There is such a thing as chronic trauma. It's about overweight, which provokes a constant load on the legs and leads to the development of arthritis.
4. Birth defects. If there is clubfoot or flat feet, the leg joints can be damaged . The foot suffers from an incorrectly distributed load.
5. Genetic predisposition.
6. Age. It is believed that the older the person, the more likely it is to get arthritis of the foot, the treatment of which will depend on the age of the patient. But there are cases when the disease is diagnosed even in children.
7. Poor nutrition. If the body lacks vitamins, minerals and trace elements, this leads to the fact that the joints do not contain substances that are so necessary for their full functioning. As a result, the cartilaginous tissue becomes thinner.
8. Low or excessive physical activity. Often arthritis of the thumb of the foot and other joints develops in teachers and football players because of their professional activities (excessive strain on the legs).

Starting factors:

• Stressful situations;
• Supercooling;
• pregnancy;
• Wearing tight or uncomfortable shoes, high heels;
• Bad habits (alcohol abuse, smoking);
• Helminthiosis;
• psoriasis;
• diabetes;
• gout.

Symptoms

How does arthritis manifest the feet? Treatment and signs of the disease depend on the rapid development of the inflammatory process. Initially, a person has pain in the foot, arising periodically. In the morning, there is a slight stiffness, but after the warm-up, it passes. By the end of the day, my legs are very tired. Often people confuse such symptoms with fatigue and do not turn to the doctor.

The disease develops, and the pain intensifies. To all added puffiness of the foot, there are reddening of the skin in the area of the affected joint. The reason - the amount of synovial fluid is rapidly increasing.

Common symptoms:

• Foot deformation;
• Chills, general malaise (signs resembling catarrhal disease);
• Formation of cones, knots on the affected joint;
• Local temperature increase;
• It becomes difficult for a person to walk;
• The gait changes;
• Sometimes the body temperature rises.

Examination

What if I have arthritis of the foot? Symptoms and treatment of the disease are interrelated. After all, specific signs speak about the stage of the ailment and its form, which is why it is repelled by the appointment of therapy. Treatment of the disease is handled by an orthopedist or rheumatologist, which must be addressed at the first symptoms of the disease.

The doctor should examine the patient's leg, paying attention to:

• The shape of the foot;
• Nature of movements;
• Gait;
• The skin condition in the area of the affected joint;
• Local temperature.

For an accurate diagnosis and selection of effective therapy, you will need to undergo an additional examination:

• X-ray of the foot;
• Ultrasound of joints;
• CT and MRI;
• blood test;
• Puncture (for examination of synovial fluid).

Treatment

How to help the patient with the diagnosis of "arthritis of the foot"? Treatment should be started immediately. With this ailment requires an integrated approach:

• Drug therapy;
• Compliance with the diet;
• Physiotherapeutic procedures, exercise therapy;
• Operation (in severe cases).

Medication Therapy

Preparations that are prescribed for arthritis:

• Anti-inflammatory;
• Anesthetics;
• Antibiotics;
• Chondroprotectors;
• Glucocorticosteroids (intra-articular injection).

But some medicines are not enough to defeat the disease.

Diet

Diet for arthritis is aimed at reducing the consumption of foods with a large number of purines. This is fish, meat, beans, alcohol. Patients with arthritis should include in the diet fresh vegetables, fruits, greens, give preference to cereals, especially millet. Compliance with the drinking regime is equally important. In a day, drink up to 2 liters of water. If the patient likes tea, then the preference is best given to the green one. You can drink fruit drinks, compotes, but with a minimum amount of sugar or even without it.

Diet in arthritis requires an increase in the volume of calcium-containing foods. This is any dairy product. Dishes with a lot of fat and carbohydrates should be reduced to a minimum.

Operation

Significant structural changes in the foot require surgical intervention. With this disease is applied:

• Arthroplasty;
• Endoprosthetics;
• Resection of the hammer-shaped fingers.

Traditional methods of treatment

Gouty arthritis, whose symptoms and treatment have their own characteristics, requires the excretion of urate from the body. Elimination of inflammation also affects other forms of the disease. For this, one of the methods of traditional medicine (in combination with drug therapy) can be recommended by a doctor.

The most popular recipes:

1. Onion broth. To prepare the medicine you will need to boil a glass of husk from a bow in a liter of water. Take 100 ml 3 times a day.
2. Herb tea. You can use any herbs that have anti-inflammatory effect. Brew and drink tea should be several times a day.
3. Baths with saline solution. In the water (should be warm) dilute the salt (for 5 liters of water half a cup of salt). Keep feet in this solution for 15 minutes.

What are the rules for adherence to the diagnosis of arthritis? The causes of the disease speak for themselves.

General recommendations:

• Refuse to wear tight shoes, high heels;
• Choose shoes with instep, with a tight back;
• Protect your feet from injury;
• To give up excessive loads;
• lose weight;
• Perform all doctor appointments.